Iran-Israel conflict: Jalandhar industrialists stuck in Qatar
The group has been stranded in Qatar for the past five days and is currently staying in hotels
People gather as smoke rises at the Industrial Area after reported Iranian missile attacks in Doha, Qatar, on March 1. Reuters
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Amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, some industrialists from Jalandhar — who were scheduled to attend a major hand-tool exhibition in Germany — are currently stuck in Qatar and awaiting a safe return to India.
Ashwani Kumar, a prominent industrialist and exporter from the hand-tool industry and an active member of the Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO), said that his nephew Arjun Kumar is among those stuck in Qatar along with several others. He has urged the Government of India to ensure their safe return at the earliest.
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Kumar informed that other industrialists stranded in Qatar include Vaibhav Malhotra, Raghav Shoor, Keshav Shoor, Jotinder Singh Bhatia, Inder Pal Singh and Gurjit Singh Bhatia, among others.
Calling the event crucial for the industry, Kumar said the exhibition is one of the world’s largest platforms for the hand-tool sector. “Attending such exhibitions helps exporters connect with new customers and expand their markets. Unfortunately, as the industrialists could not reach Germany, it will significantly affect business opportunities,” he added.
According to Kumar, the group has been stranded in Qatar for the past five days and is currently staying in hotels. The exhibition in Germany is being held from March 3 to 6. He added that their accommodation and food are being taken care of by the authorities.
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“We request the government to look into this issue and ensure assistance. Either they should be able to reach Germany before the exhibition concludes on March 6 or arrangements should be made to bring them back to India,” he said.
Meanwhile, another traveller from Jalandhar, Anuja Sharma, is also facing a similar ordeal. Anuja, who recently got married, had travelled to Dubai with her husband and was scheduled to return to India on February 28. However, the sudden disruption in air travel left the couple stranded. She added that she had booked tickets for March 5, but those were cancelled as well.
“It is frustrating. We just want to reach home as soon as possible,” she said.
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