Day-one of 16th PITEX: Pakistani women entrepreneurs urge Centre to open Wagah border for trade

Pakistani women traders participating in the 16th Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) here on Thursday, urged Government of India (GOI) to reopen international trade through Attari-Wagah border.

Pakistani women traders participating in the 16th Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) here on Thursday, urged Government of India (GOI) to reopen international trade through Attari-Wagah border. While interacting with mediapersons, Sapna Oberai from Lahore said, “Due to SAARC visa, three of us (female entrepreneurs) could participate in the expo after three years. We pray that there should be no barriers between business communities of both the countries. We urge the government of India to allow traders of Punjab in Pakistan to come to Punjab on this side of border, which is their second home. We wish we come here like we used to visit earlier”.

Visitors take a look at dresses at a Pakistani stall on the first day of the Punjab International Trade Expo PHD (PITEX)-2023 at Ranjeet Avenue, Amritsar on Wednesday. (Photo by Sameer Sehgal /Hindustan Times)

Oberai has brought varieties of fabrics for the trade expo from Lahore. “We don’t only trade, but also make efforts to reduce tension between both the countries,” she added. Sayyada from Karachi said, “Opening of trade will strengthen brotherhood between two countries”, while Nafisa from the same business city of Pakistan said, “We are feeling quite homely here”. The entrepreneurs also said, “Opening of borders for trade will be useful for Pakistani and Indian farmers and small-scale industrialists”.

RS Sachdeva, chair of Punjab chapter of PHD Chamber of Trade and Commerce, which is organising the expo in collaboration with state government, said, “We have invited Lahore Chamber of Industry and Commerce to visit Punjab. Soon, their delegation will visit the state”.