{Attari-Wagah border} Trade disruption: Porters, vendors & eatery owners stare at bleak future

Hindustan Times

04-05-2025

A day after the last batch of Pakistani nationals returned home amid restrictions following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, the Attari-Wagah border wore a deserted look. The checkpost came to life only in the evening when tourists arrived to witness the Beating Retreat ceremony.
India on Saturday unveiled more punitive economic measures against Pakistan, including a ban on import of all goods originating in Pakistan, prohibiting Pakistan-flagged vessels calling at Indian ports, and stopping the exchange of mail and parcels by land and air routes.
In response, Pakistan has suspended trade with India, including to and from any third country via its territory putting a halt to trade with Afghanistan.
India's exports to Afghanistan were $264.15 million in 2024-25 (April-January), while imports stood at $591.49 million, including $358 million inbound shipments of dry fruits such as almonds, dried figs, pistachios, and raisins.
This has caused panic among porters and other locals, who run businesses near the checkpost and rely on it for their livelihood.
The trade with Pakistan, which was over ₹1,000 crore per year, was halted post-August 2019 after India abrogated Article 370.
As many as 1,433 porters working at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) Attari, which facilitated India's trade with Afghanistan are now facing uncertain times.
'The closure of the trade with Pakistan since 2019 hit us but now the closure of trade with Afghanistan has left us jobless. I am the only breadwinner in my family. Closure of the trade has left me unemployed,' said Mohan Pehalwan, one of the porters.
Apart from porters, the checkpost was thriving with businesses like vendors, small eateries and dhabas catering to not only a stream of people moving across the border on either side but also to tourists who came to see the Beating Retreat ceremony. Ever since the attack the ceremony has seen a 50% dip in footfall. Earlier, the tourists, averaging 20,000, started arriving after noon, now, they start arriving after 3 pm.
'I have been selling sugarcane juice here for the last 40 years. The damage done by the present circumstances is not only limited to the eateries. The livelihood of the entire labour class in 50 villages of this area depends on the Attari border. The present circumstances are not good for anybody', said Dharam Singh, a vendor outside the ICP.
'Unemployment has already hit youth in this border area. The new situation will further deepen the crisis. Our earnings have declined amid the panic at the border. I worked as a porter earlier in the ICP but lost my job after the closure of trade with Pakistan. Since then, I have been selling caps and painting flags on the faces of visitors but now with a decline in visitors I am seeing a dip in my earnings', said Rajinder Singh, a resident of Attari.
'Our daily income has reduced by 30%. The spectators are scared and avoid visiting the Attari-Wagah border', said Gola Shah, who runs a dhaba outside the ICP.
APS Chatha, president of Amritsar hotels and restaurants association (AHARA), said, 'Terror attack at Pahalgam reduced the occupancy in the hotels of Amritsar by 60 to 65 persons. Bookings are getting cancelled. Tourists are visiting Amritsar in lesser numbers these days because uncertainty is prevailing in relation to tension between both the countries'.
Two taxi owners, Bhupinder Singh and Jaspal Singh, said, 'In Amritsar city, taxi business largely depends on tourists travelling from the city to the Attari-Wagah border. Our business has dipped by 60%.'