Skirmishes between Afghanistan, Pak dash city importers’ trade hopes

Hopes of early resumption of cross-border trade through the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP) have been dashed following frequent skirmishes between Taliban-led Afghan forces and Pakistan.

Until seven months ago, Amritsar-based importers regularly brought in consignments of fruits, dry fruits, spices and herbs from landlocked Afghanistan. Optimism had briefly resurfaced last month when Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, during his visit to Delhi, spoke of the possibility of resuming Afghan airline operations to India, which was being seen as a precursor to renewed trade ties.

Pardeep Sehgal, senior vice-president of the Indian Importers Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the ceasefire agreement between the Taliban government and Pakistan had kindled hope for stability in South Asia. “However, the recent escalation of clashes shows peace will take longer to settle. A peaceful and conducive environment is a prerequisite for human exchange and trade to thrive. Any conflict risks undoing years of effort,” he said.

Rajdeep Singh Uppal, city-based fresh fruit importer and former president of the Confederation of International Chambers of Commerce, echoed similar concerns. He said continued hostilities would hamper the region’s long-term development and discourage investors.

The Attari ICP has remained closed for over six months after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), on April 23 — a day after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, including one Nepali national — ordered its immediate closure. A day later, Pakistan suspended all trade, including transit trade with third countries.

Entrepreneur Rajan Bedi recalled how the UAE and the US launched the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) in 2023, envisioning multiple sea and land routes to boost trade. He noted that one potential route could pass through the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post (JCP). “IMEC could transform the regional economy, but recurring disturbances have delayed its implementation,” he said.

Historically, Amritsar’s markets exported green tea, brass kitchenware, traditional footwear, and shawls to Afghanistan and neighboring regions, while importing dry fruits, fresh fruits, and herbs in return. Bedi added that the holy city could once again become a gateway of prosperity for northern India by extending its land trade route through Pakistan to Afghanistan, and further to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, connecting ultimately to Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf.

Closer economic ties with Central Asian and Gulf countries, he said, would significantly benefit Punjab’s hospitality, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.

Hotelier APS Chatha added that Amritsar already possesses the necessary infrastructure — an international airport, bus terminal, integrated check post, and a wide range of hotels — to support smooth movement of goods and people once trade resumes.