Amritsar, June 4 (K.L. Jit Walia): The Punjab unit of the World Sikh Chamber of Commerce submitted a memorandum to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, seeking the resumption of bilateral trade through the Attari-Wagah border and the reopening of the corridor to Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib for devotees.
A delegation led by Punjab Chairman Sardar Rajinder Singh Marwaha and Chandigarh Chapter Chairman Sardar Amarinder Singh Kochhar met the Governor at Punjab Raj Bhavan and raised the issue.
During the meeting, the delegation urged the government to restart trade between India and Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border, which has remained largely suspended for the past seven years. They emphasized that reopening the trade route would also facilitate commercial ties with Afghanistan and Central Asian nations, including Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.
The representatives stated that the prolonged closure of trade has caused significant economic losses to farmers, traders, industrialists, and business communities in Punjab, particularly in Amritsar. They noted that the regional economy has been adversely affected and that restoring trade would provide a major boost to economic growth and employment.
The delegation also requested the reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for pilgrims. They highlighted that the issue is closely linked to the religious sentiments and faith of the Sikh community, and therefore deserves prompt attention from the authorities.
The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere, during which the Governor listened to the concerns raised by the delegation and formally received the memorandum.
KL JIT WALIA
