Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday demanded that there was the need to open India’s trade with 34 countries via the Attari-Wagah border.
Addressing a press conference during his visit to the 15th Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) in Amritsar, Sidhu said, “The trade via the Integrated Checkpost (ICP) with 34 nations will usher in development in Punjab and elsewhere. Only 5 of the 34 countries are present here at PITEX.”
He, however, did not list the names of 34 countries.
“A huge potential of trade lies locked. I am not saying that there is no need to be vigilant at the border. Just a year after the World War II when all European nations were fighting each other, the borders in the continent were opened. The progress of centuries took place in a few years,” he said.
All the 34 countries should be brought on board via the PITEX festival, he said, adding that the trade should be via 2,100 km Dubai route instead of just 20-km route from Attari to Lahore.
Sidhu said, “The minimum support price (MSP) on wheat was increased to ₹1,300 per quintal in 30 years in the country. But here is an opportunity to sell wheat at ₹3,000 and basmati at ₹7,000 per quintal.”
Any passport holder should be allowed to trade through borders, he said. “With this, Punjab will see development of six years in six months. If Mumbai-Karachi port trade can take place, why Amritsar-Lahore circuit should not be opened. We are doing trade of less than 5% of the total potential,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Any passport holder should be allowed to trade through borders, he said. “With this, Punjab will see development of six years in six months. If Mumbai-Karachi port trade can take place, why Amritsar-Lahore circuit should not be opened. We are doing trade of less than 5% of the total potential,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}The Punjab government, he said, will start giving MSP on pulses. “Why can’t we give MSP on pulses when we are importing pulses from other countries,” he asked.