Aujla raises issue of Attari-Wagah border trade in Zero Hour

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, August 7

Local MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla raised the issue of opening Attari-Wagah border trade in Parliament today. Raising the issue in the Zero Hour today, he said that cross-border trade was not stopped even after the wars of 1965 and 1971, but it was stopped after the Balakot attack.

Aujla said, “The Attari-Wagah border trade is the backbone of employment in Amritsar. When the trade was open, around 500 trucks used to ferry goods from Pakistan to India. But after the Balakot attack, it was closed. At least 10,000 people lost employment after the closure of the trade.”

The cross-border trade had been going on with Pakistan for years. After Pulwama attack, 200 per cent custom duty was imposed on goods imported from Pakistan, he said. The trade was completely stopped after the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, he said.

Sharing the history of the cross-border trade route from Attari, Aujla said, “This is an ancient trade route because socially and historically, the Indian culture is the same as Pakistan. On one hand, there are talks of setting up industry in the border belt, while on the other business is on the verge of closure and employment opportunities are dwindling with each passing day.”

Aujla said the Centre should reconsider opening trade from the Attari- Wagah border. He said, “The Integrated Check Post built across 120 acres was inaugurated in 2012. At present, it is lying vacant. Amritsar and Lahore have an ancient relationship. Trade has been done from here with Afghanistan and the UAE. Since Amritsar is a border area, there is no industry here. Hence, the closure of cross-border trade has affected employment and lives of the people.”