Women | Shopkeepers in Zabul tell Amu TV that closed trade routes with Pakistan have roughly halved prices for women's home-made clothing; not yet confirmed by other sources

ACW | October 23, 2026 — Shopkeepers in Qalat, the capital of Afghanistan's Zabul province, have told Amu TV that the closure of trade routes with Pakistan has cut the earnings of women who make traditional clothing at home.

Amu TV reported on Friday (October 23, 2026) that, according to the shopkeepers, raw material costs have risen and sales have fallen. Customers have less money, so shopkeepers cannot pass the higher costs on.

One shopkeeper told Amu TV that handicrafts that once sold for 3,000 to 3,500 afghanis (about $46 to $54) now sell for 1,500 to 1,600 afghanis (about $23 to $25). Another said the women's work is "very hard" but the market is weak.

According to Amu TV, embroidered collars and shawls are among the goods women in Zabul make. The report does not name the closed route or say when the closure began.

Amu TV's report carries no response from the Taliban authorities.

Background: Amu TV reports that women in Zabul have no market of their own and depend on shopkeepers to sell their work, because the Taliban closed a women's market about two years ago. The report does not give the exact date of that closure.

Why it matters: According to Amu TV, the closure of the women's market has left these women dependent on shopkeepers to sell what they make, so any slump in trade hits their income directly.

This report has not yet been confirmed by other sources.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Source: Amu TV — Zabul shopkeepers say border closure cuts women's earnings from traditional clothing

Photo: Amu TV