Taliban Urge Turkmenistan to Implement 24-Hour Operations at Torghundi Port

Noor Ahmad Islamjar, representing the Taliban media office in Herat, has called on Turkmenistan to implement a 24-hour operational schedule at Torghundi Port to increase trade efficiency.

The proposed improvements include the construction of 1,250 meters of railway dedicated to loading and unloading activities, as well as the transfer of two locomotives to the port. These requests are intended to operationalize previous agreements signed between the Taliban and Turkmenistan, which cover the general development of Torghundi Port and the construction of a railway line connecting the port to the Sanobar area of Herat.

The effort to enhance the port's capacity is part of a broader strategy by the Taliban to expand trade with Central Asian countries and Iran. This move is driven by rising tensions and frequent trade disruptions with Pakistan, which have prompted the search for alternative trade routes.

As an example of these disruptions, Pakistan's National Logistics Cell announced on April 3rd that a transit shipment from Kyrgyzstan, traveling via China, reached Gilgit without passing through Afghanistan. By improving the Torghundi gateway, the Taliban aim to secure more reliable transit options for Afghan goods and imports.