Pakistan launched two new overland trade corridors through Iran and China in April 2026. These routes offer Central Asian countries alternative access to Arabian Sea ports, bypassing Afghanistan.

Islamabad closed its main transit crossings with Afghanistan due to security concerns, including the Torkham and Chaman crossings in October 2025. These closures followed instances of cross-border militancy. The new corridors through Iran's Gabd-Rimdan border crossing and China's Sost Dry Port became operational to facilitate regional trade.

More than 14,000 metric tons of cargo have been transported through the two routes since their launch. One corridor was formally inaugurated during a coordination ceremony in Karachi, attended by senior representatives from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The first convoy transported frozen meat and other exports to Tashkent and Bishkek via Iran.

Pakistan dispatched its first export shipment from the Karachi Export Processing Zone to Kyrgyzstan using the Sost Dry Port. This shipment was sent under the Transports Internationaux Routiers (TIR) regime. The 3,300-kilometer Bishkek-Karachi corridor operates under the Quadrilateral Traffic in Transit Agreement and has completed its first reciprocal commercial shipments.

Kyrgyz transport fleets delivered minerals and textiles to Pakistan as part of these reciprocal shipments. The Hemani Group transported a 23.9-tonne consignment to Kyrgyzstan, utilizing the Pakistan Single Window (PSW) electronic customs system for the process. Uzbekistan has also begun using the Gabd-Rimdan route to transport agricultural equipment and industrial raw materials.

The new network expands the use of both the TIR transit regime and the Pakistan Single Window system, which electronically processes customs documentation for cross-border shipments. Pakistan is also expanding the role of Gwadar Port within Phase 2 of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Gwadar Port, located approximately 400 kilometers east of the Strait of Hormuz, is expected to handle increasing cargo volumes from these new land corridors.

Why It Matters

These new trade corridors represent a strategic shift in regional commercial pathways, providing Central Asian nations with direct overland access to Pakistan's Arabian Sea ports. This development offers an alternative to routes through Afghanistan, which Pakistan closed in late 2025 due to security issues. The establishment of these routes through Iran and China facilitates continued trade and integration for landlocked Central Asian countries with global markets.

The increased use of the TIR regime and the Pakistan Single Window system supports more efficient and standardized customs procedures for international shipments. The expansion of Gwadar Port's role within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor aligns with the aim to accommodate growing cargo volumes from these newly established trade routes.