Didn’t know who Chawla is: Longowal Trade revival hopes via Attari-wagah route rekindled

AMRITSAR : The proposal of constructing the corridor from Dera Baba Nanak to Kartarpur in Pakistan does not just have religious importance as traders see it as a sign of revival of international trade through the Attari-wagah border.

The cross-border trade is going through a worst phase due to abnormal Indo-pak ties in past few years. The tension between the two countries in Jammu and Kashmir severed the ties, affecting the trade through the Attariwagah border to Pakistan, Afghanistan and central Asian countries.

“Because of abnormal ties, the trade has gone down drastically. We now see ₹2 billion trade through this route. However, the study done by the South Asia Development Forum reveals that there are opportunities of trade worth ₹37 billion,” president of ICP Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohit Khanna said.

He said the tension between both the countries have badly hit the export from India. “Pakistan allows us to import goods but the freedom of export is limited. Besides, we are not able to have trade with the central Asia as Pakistan is the only route for same. If Pakistan will provide us the route, only then we can have the trade with central Asia,” he said.

“Absence of people-to-people contact between both sides is also a major reason behind the decreasing trade. Opportunities will open up as people to people contact will increase with the construction of Kartarpur Sahib corridor,” he added.

Chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI)'S Punjab chapter Rupinder Singh Sachdeva said, “People-to-people conact matters a lot in case of international trade. It can be made possible only when the people of both the countries are able to visit each other’s countries. How can you sell or purchase goods without visiting another other country. If Kartarpur corridor is constructed and pilgrims are given access through it, it is sure to improve people-topeople contact.”

“Why are we forced to have trade with Lahore via Mumbai and Karachi through sea and not allowed direct trade through Attari to Lahore, which is in vicinity of Amritsar,” he says.