Amritsar, November 5
Amid high hopes of strengthening economic ties between the two Punjabs, a 45-member delegation led by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal crossed over to Pakistan today via the Attari-Wagah land route. The delegation comprised five Cabinet Ministers, eminent industrialists, traders and agriculture experts. Among the key issues figuring on the agenda are lack of trade infrastructure on the Pakistan side, the opening of Hussainiwala border, the issue of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor and cultural and sporting ties. At present, India can only export 137 items to Pak via the Attari-Wagah land route as the neighbouring country is yet to switch over to negative list for this key trading point.

Once implemented, it will open floodgates of opportunities for the trading community in Punjab. The exports from the Attari border, which stood at Rs 1,375 crore in 2011-12, will grow many fold as it will allow export of around 6,000 items from the Attari-Wagah land route. The delegation is also expected to deliberate on the issue of lack of trade infrastructure on the Pakistan side. Unlike India, which has raised a massive Rs 150-crore Integrated Check Post (ICP) spread over 118 acres of land in Attari, Pakistan has a check post which operates from an area of just nine acres. The issue of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor has been hanging fire for a long time.

The historic Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara holds great significance for Sikhs as Guru Nanak Dev, first Sikh Guru, spent last 18 years of his life there. The distance between Dera Baba Nanak and Kartarpur Sahib is just three km. The Sikhs have long been demanding unrestricted access to the historic shrine through a visa-free corridor connecting the two places. Meanwhile, interacting with the mediapersons at Sri Guru Ram Dass International Airport before leaving for Pakistan, the Deputy Chief Minister said he was confident that the neighbouring country would start importing 6,000 items through Attari border by December 31. Sukhbir stated that the Punjab government was making concerted efforts for opening up of a visa centre at Amritsar for simplification of visa procedure, adding that the people of Pakistan, who visit India for medical treatment, were compelled to go to Delhi. He would take up the matter with the authorities concerned so that those people could avail of world class health facilities at Amritsar itself. Describing kabaddi a vital link between the two countries, Badal said he would inaugurate second Asia kabaddi Cup in Pakistan on November 7. Pakistan Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal greeted the delegation when it entered Pakistan. Prominent among those in the delegation were Cabinet ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Sikander Singh Maluka, Anil Joshi and Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Sarup Chand Singla and Virsa Singh Valtoha.