Afghan trucks enter India via Attari after Pakistan govt allows transit
AMRITSAR: Six days after Pakistan announced the resumption of Afghan exports to India through the Attari-wagah border to facilitate transit trade, the first consignment of goods crossed over to India in two trucks on Saturday. All covid-19 related protocols were followed. “Two trucks of licorice (mulethi) entered the Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari, on Saturday,” said a senior Customs official in Amritsar.
“We had information that trucks of Afghan goods would enter India, and we had made arrangements accordingly,” said a senior official of the Land
Port Authority of India (LPAI), which oversees the ICP’S affairs.
Federation of Karyana and
Dry Fruit Association president Anil Mehra said, “Pakistan has deliberately been creating hurdles in Afghan export to India.
After a two-month long hiatus, Indian authorities allowed Afghan exports in the last week of May. The Pakistan government has also not been allowing movement of goods from Chaman and Torkham borders with Afghanistan.” The ICP usually sees an annual trade of around Rs 7,000 crore and Rs 1,000 crore with Afghanistan and Pakistan, respectively.
Pakistan had shut trade with India and stopped operations of the Samjhauta Express after the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. India had suspended trade activities at the border on March 13 as a precautionary measure, against the covid-19 outbreak.