Attari-Wagah check-post reopens: Stranded Afghan trucks allowed entry after 22-day closure
After four coordination committee meetings, India allowed entry to five out of 162 stranded trucks from Afghanistan through the Attari-Wagah Integrated Check-Post that was closed after the start of hostilities with Pakistan.
The remaining 157 trucks carrying consignments of spices, herbs and dry and fresh fruits are expected to cross over to India from Pakistan over the next few days.
The move in no way should be construed as normal opening of the border as the ICP continued to remain non-operational as per the directions of the Prime Minister headed Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), said an official. The CCS had pronounced the decision in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The 162 trucks carrying perishable goods from Afghanistan had reached Wagah border, which is situated inside Pakistan, on April 22, a day prior to the CCS had convened at the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 23, which recommended closure of the Attari-Wagah border with immediate effect.
The Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) handling cargo at the ICP had received the last consignment of 17 truckloads on April 23. Thereafter, it did not accept any truck of merchandise from Afghanistan till May 16.
The ICP normally receives about 15 to 20 truckloads of dry fruit, spices, herbs and fresh fruits from Afghanistan daily.
This is the only trading land route between India and the Taliban-ruled landlocked country. At present, the ICP at Attari is permitted to receive only imports from Afghanistan for which Pakistan offers transit movement. The ICP had recorded the highest-ever imports to the tune of over Rs 3,700 crore since its opening 12 years ago in the 2023-24 financial year. In the financial year 2024-25, the ICP facilitated import of 1,83,975 MT from the landlocked country.
Before the trade embargo between India and Pakistan in August 2019, one-fourth (Rs 4,476 crore) of their total trade of Rs 17,903 crore used to take place through the ICP Attari.
