Indian traders stop loaded trucks to Pakistan

Amritsar, Apr 27: Days after Integrated Check Post (ICP) was inaugurated on the Attari/Wagah border to boost Indo-Pak trade, Indian traders have stopped sending loaded trucks to Pakistan to protest against the Central Warehouse Corporation's proposal to hike labour charges.

"After the wage hike, the importers and exporters on Indian side will have to pay double the wages. The traders who were paying Rs 2,070 per truck as labour charges will now have to pay more than Rs 3,600," said Amritsar Clearing Agent Association member Jaspal Singh.

He also informed that the Amritsar Chamber of Commerce held a meeting whereupon it was unanimously decided to stop sending trucks to Pakistan from today. As a result of the strike, which started from today, dozens of trucks including those carrying soybean were stranded on the Indian border, according to traders.

Reacting to the situation, CII Amritsar’s former Chairman Gunbir Singh said, "There should not any kind of limits for trade between the two countries through the Attari land route." However, more than 46 trucks from Pakistan managed to enter India but were not unloaded and were stranding on the Indian side, traders said.

They added if the situation continued, trucks from Pakistan would not come to India and will hamper trading sentiment on both sides. The ICP situated on the international Attari road was inaugurated by Home Minister P Chidambaram on April 13.

PTI