Chandigarh, October 12
The Aam Aadmi Party-led state government seems to be laying emphasis on reopening Attari—Wagah trade route with Pakistan. In the recent past, two ministers have taken up the issue with the Centre.
The trade between both the countries stopped in August 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu amp; Kashmir.
In July, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayats and Agriculture Kuldeep Dhaliwal had demanded that Attari— Wagah trade route with Pakistan should be reopened. He put forward the demand during a conference of agriculture ministers of various states with Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. “Opening trade of agricutural and horticultural products with Pakistan, Iran and the Middle East will help the state’s economy,” he said.
Similarly, Minister for Investment Promotion Anmol Gagan Maan while demanding a special industrial package from the Centre had laid emphasis on opening trade routes with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.
She asserted that it was the need of the hour to open new and old trade routes to further bolster the country’s economy.
“Punjab is predominantly an agrarian economy with a large number of its populace dependent on agriculture. Opening the trade routes with neighbouring countries will immensely benefit farmers and traders,” she said.
