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Indo-Pak chill freezes Ferozepur trade hopes
Sarbjit Dhaliwal and Perneet Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh/Amritsar, August 19
The Indo-Pakistan foreign secretary-level talks, which were called off yesterday, have dashed the hopes of the people in the border belt, especially in Ferozepur district where people have been eagerly awaiting the opening of Hussainiwala border as the second route to enhance trade between the two neighbouring countries. Laying the pipeline to supply oil to Pakistan through Wagah border was also expected to be on the agenda.

In fact, an exercise has been going on to enlist view of the people in the border area with regard to the opening of the Hussainiwala border post for the trade purpose between the two countries.

Addressing a meeting of industrialists from India and Pakistan in Ludhiana some months ago, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had stressed on the need to open the Hussainiwala border to promote trade and encourage people-to-people contact between the two countries. The meeting was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Badal had stated that trade between the two countries could play a vital role in development of Eastern and Western Punjab. The CM had also spoken to the Union Government in this regard and had submitted a memorandum to the Modi Government.

Asked about the cancellation of the talks, Congress MLA from Ferozepur Parminder Singh said there was expectation among the people that the issue of opening of the Hussainwala border would be discussed at a meeting between the two foreign secretaries on August 25.

"However, it is unfortunate that talks have been called off. Obviously, it has disappointed people who were expecting opening of the border post trade", he said adding that the trade via Hussainiwala would give a big boost to the development of the Ferozepur region, which, otherwise, remained neglected because it was a remote area. He said the opening of the Hussainiwala border suited both the countries because it would lessen the traffic burden on the Wagah route.

Prof Sucha Singh Gill, Director-General, CRRID, said the Indo-Pak trade volume had gone up to $ 2.7 billion. There was a lot of scope of exporting more goods from India to Pakistan. To do so, there was need to open Hussainiwala border. At present, 137 items are exported to Pakistan through the Attar-Wagah route.

The cancellation of the talks has come as a jolt to the trading community in Amritsar as it was expecting implementation of a series of measures. Khanna Paper Mill Director Suneet Kochhar said, "We were looking for a new beginning but it turned out to be the same old story fraught with tension and destabilization. This has caused a great amount of concern among the business community."

It was in January that India and Pakistan had resumed trade engagement at the ministerial level by announcing a series of steps, including 24x7 trade activity at the Attari-Wagah border, allowing movement of container cargo, opening of bank branches, issuing more business visas and having a non-discriminatory market access (NDMA) programme in both the countries. All these measures were to be finalised by February-end, but got delayed due to the Lok Sabha elections.

Hussainiwala route crucial

• Opening of the Hussainiwala border suits both the countries as it will lessen the traffic burden on the Wagah route
• According to an estimate, the Indo-Pak trade volume had gone up to $ 2.7 billion and there was a lot of scope of exporting more goods from India to Pakistan
• Presently, 137 items are exported to Pakistan through the Attar-Wagah route