The prolonged closure of the Torkham border and the suspension of trade with Afghanistan have pushed Landi Kotal's historic bazaar into its worst business slump since October, with traders reporting a drastic drop in sales and customer numbers. This once-thriving market, known for its mutton dishes and imported goods, now faces a deserted look after midday as locals lose buying power. Main Developments Wholesale food dealer Haji Sharab Gul reported a 50 percent sales decline since the border closure, with many Afghan customers unable to travel to Pakistan due to visa restrictions. He previously sold rice and pulses in large quantities to Afghan buyers who transported them to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and even Ukraine, but those profits are now lost. General store owner Bilal Khan said his customer base has shrunk significantly, limited to local buyers purchasing only essential items at low prices. He also lost capital to Torkham shopkeepers who took goods on credit but cannot repay because their own shops are closed due to the border closure. Read also: 3 Systemic Failures Exposed in Naila Rind Suicide Case Acquittal Restaurant owners Haji Akhtar and Haji Dadeen, known for their mutton karahi and barbeque, are struggling to meet daily expenses. Akhtar said he used to slaughter 10 to 12 lambs daily during peak business years but now struggles to sell meat from even two or three sheep, as locals opt for low-cost dishes amid a ban on animal imports from Afghanistan. Background The Landi Kotal Bazaar, locally called Sarai, has historically depended on cross-border trade with Afghanistan. Until the mid-1970s, it attracted customers from across Pakistan for genuine imported goods from Afghanistan, but the shift of businesses to Bara in the late 1970s reduced it to a localized market serving residents, government employees, and security personnel from a nearby British-era army camp. Draper Yarmat Shah noted that despite the earlier business relocation, the bazaar remained a busy trade center with customers from Afghan border towns visiting for consumer items. The open Torkham border was one of the busiest crossings, with bilateral trade reaching an annual peak of $2.5 billion in 2015–16, benefiting local shopkeepers through thriving cross-border trade. Why It Matters The border closure and trade suspension have wiped out major income sources for a large part of Landi Kotal's population, which relied on pedestrian movement and trade with Afghanistan. The slump not only affects local traders but also disrupts regional supply chains that extended to Central Asia and beyond, highlighting the vulnerability of border economies to political and security decisions. Mutton prices have surged due to the ban on animal imports from Afghanistan, forcing locals to seek cheaper food options and further shrinking restaurant revenues. The ripple effects underscore how border closures can rapidly destabilize communities that have depended on cross-border commerce for generations. What's Next Traders face an uncertain future as the border remains closed with no clear timeline for reopening. Many shopkeepers are considering reducing business hours or shutting down permanently if the situation persists, while others hope for diplomatic efforts to resume trade and ease visa restrictions for Afghan customers.