Latest news with #LandPortAuthorityofIndia
India.com
27-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
Rice at Rs 340/kg, Chicken Rs 800/kg...: Pakistan crippled by inflation amid tensions with India, Modi govt's deals severe blow due to...
Representational/File Pakistan Economy: Amid heightened tensions with India and the looming threat of an India-Pakistan war after the heinous Pahalgam terror attack, inflation has hit critical levels in the cash-strapped nation with food prices reaching a record high. According to media reports, the prices of food essentials like rice, flour, vegetables, fruits, and chicken, have surged exponentially, and the situation is likely to get worse due to the end of India-Pakistan bilateral trade which was halted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government as a retaliatory response to the Pahalgam attack. How end of bilateral trade with India will hurt Pakistan economy? According to details, India-Pakistan bilateral trade was valued at Rs 3838.53 crores in the last financial year, with the majority of the trade taking place via the now-closed Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar, Punjab. As per the Land Port Authority of India, this figure also includes imports coming into India from Afghanistan and other countries via Pakistan. India has closed the Attari-Wagah border following the Pahalgam terror attack, which will halts this lucrative trade route, causing further damage to the already crumbling Pakistan economy. Pakistan may face shortage of medicines, other items Apart from hurting Pakistan's economy, the halting of bilateral trade by India will create a shortage of essentials, including medicines and food items, in the neighbouring country. India exports huge amounts of various critical medicines, chemicals, fruits, vegetables, poultry feed, and dry fruits to Pakistan, apart from gypsum and rock salt. Experts believe that Pakistan will face a critical shortage of medicines, and other essentials, now that the borders are completely sealed and trade with India halted. Additionally, the prices of these commodities will surge drastically due to low supply, further raising inflation in Pakistan. According to reports, Pakistani health officials have initiated emergency measures to secure medicine supplies in response to the suspension of trade relations with India. Reports say that Pakistan imports around 30% to 40% of its pharmaceutical raw materials from India. Inflation cripples Pakistan Here are the prices of food essentials in Pakistan, according to various reports; Item Price in Pakistani Rupee (PKR) Chicken 798.89 PKR/Kg Rice 339.56 PKR/Kg Eggs 332 PKR/dozen Apple 288 PKR/Kg Milk 224 PKR/Litre Bread 161.28 PKR/500 gm Banana 176 PKR/Kg Tomato 150 PKR/Kg Potato 105 PKR/Kg Orange 216 PKR/Kg Over 1 crore people face starvation in Pakistan Meanwhile, a recent World Bank report has made a dire prediction, stating that over 10 million Pakistanis could be staring at starvation due to severe food insecurity and an increased risk of a sharp rise in poverty levels during the current financial year. As per the report, climatic conditions are likely to negatively impact the agricultural production of major crops like rice and maize, due to which more than 10 million or over 1 crore people in Pakistan, mostly in rural areas, could face acute food insecurity, including starvation in extreme cases, in FY25. The World Bank report has also revised Pakistan's economic growth forecast to 2.7 percent, citing the country's current economic policies and debt. The report also warned that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led government may also fail to meet its annual budget deficit target, while Pakistan's debt-to-GDP ratio is likely to surge. 10 million Pakistanis face starvation The World Bank report noted that climatic conditions are likely to negatively impact the agricultural production of major crops like rice and maize, due to which more than 10 million or over 1 crore people in Pakistan, mostly in rural areas, could face acute food insecurity, including starvation in extreme cases, in FY25. The report also forecasted with a population growth of about 2%, more than 19 million (19 lakh) people could fall into extreme poverty during the current fiscal year. Additionally, the report also highlighted the extremely low participation of women and youth in the labor market, with Pakistan having a 49.7% employment-to-population ratio.
India Today
25-04-2025
- Business
- India Today
Pak blocks Afghan trucks after India closes Attari border following J&K attack
India-Afghanistan trade through the Attari-Wagah border has stopped after Pakistan denied passage to Afghan trucks. This comes after India closed the route for travellers following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed direct trade between India and Pakistan via the integrated check post at Attari had mostly stopped after the Pulwama attack in 2019, Afghan goods were still entering India via this route. Around 40-45 Afghan trucks carrying dry fruits, apples, and other goods were reaching Attari daily. This movement has now ceased after India closed the Attari border following the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran communication has been received from the Pakistan side that now no Afghanistani trucks will be entering India. In the last two days, no Afghan truck has come to Attari. So the trade is shut and Pakistan has closed it," said Suraj Handa from the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI), speaking to India Today over the phone. It is important to note that only Afghan imports were allowed through this route. Indian exports to Afghanistan were not permitted via halt in trade has affected not just importers but also local workers and transporters. Afghan goods used to be picked up by local porters and trucks at the ICP. With the suspension, this activity has stopped, impacting local employment and businesses."The Indo-Pakistan trade was almost shut at this border after India imposed 200 percent duties after the Pulwama attack in 2019. Now just Afghan goods were coming to India and now that has also closed as Pakistan has announced that they won't allow their land for the trucks to cross to India," said importer Rajdeep the economy is impacted, but we respect the decision of the Indian Government," he added. A local porter said, "More than 1,400 porters work in Attari and with the closure of trade, households are impacted."Karabir Singh, who runs a dhaba near the border, said, "Trade has been a major source of employment for the locals but with this closure a major impact has come. Porters have to look after their families but now with the closure of the border, everything seems gloomy for them."The shutdown of the Attari-Wagah route for Afghan imports has led to a complete pause in goods movement via this land Watch
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Attari-Wagah border closure to hit biz, but traders say they stand with country
With Pakistan suspending all trade with India, including to and from any third country through its territory, trade with Afghanistan via the Attari-Wagah border integrated check post (ICP) has also come to a halt. This will affect the local economy, especially small traders and industries, whose livelihood largely depends on this trade. Located around 28 kms from Amritsar city, this is the only permissible land route allowed for trade between India and Pakistan and crucial for imports from Afghanistan. After the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, in which 44 CRPF personnel were killed, the Indian government had restricted import from Pakistan by hiking the custom duty to 200%, from a mere 5%. Since then, import of goods from Pakistan has remained almost stopped. In August 2019, when New Delhi abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan had ceased all trade relations with India. The neighbouring country had also barred India from exporting goods to Afghanistan, though import of Afghan goods, such as dry fruits, remained normal, even after Taliban took control over the country. As per the official website of the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI), trade through this route had peaked in 2018-19, touching ₹4,370.78 crore, before the restrictions were imposed by India. The trade witnessed a sharp drop in subsequent years. The lowest trade figure was recorded in 2022-23 at ₹2,257.55 crore. However, the figures showed signs of recovery in 2023-24, reaching ₹3,886.53 crore. 'Will look for alternative routes' RS Sachdeva, chairman of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry Punjab Chapter, said, 'It is Punjab's bad luck that the trade through Attari-Wagah border has been closed. This will hit the state's economy and growth. At one point, 10,000 persons worked in the trade through this route. Now, this figure is only 400-500.' Dry fruit importer Mukesh Sidhwani said, 'Though the trade has been halted by Pakistan, we are with our nation first. We will look for alternative routes to import our commodities.' Expressing similar views, trader Rajdeep Singh Uppal said, 'We stand with the government and support its decision.' Dharam Singh, a sugarcane juice seller, said, 'This ICP provides employment to 50 villages of this area. Closing of trade will hit the livelihood of the people, including porters, labourers and owners of eateries'. 'The Pahalgam tragedy demands significant retribution from the perpetrators. However, one definitely does not understand this trade embargo across the Attari-Wagah axis. We have already put up 200% duty, reciprocated by Pak by banning trade across this post. This is more a penalty to the people of Punjab and thus unfair,' says Gunbir Singh, Past Chairman, CII Punjab.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
BSF scales down Beating Retreat ceremony; handshake with Pak. soldiers suspended
With India announcing that it would close the Integrated Check Post in Punjab's Attari — the land route for passenger movement between India and Pakistan — nationals from both countries were seen returning to their respective countries on Thursday (April 24, 2025). The Border Security Force (BSF) said it had 'scaled down' the Beating Retreat ceremony held at three locations – Attari, Hussainiwala, and Sadki along the Pakistan border in Punjab – in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. The BSF's Punjab frontier said in a statement that as part of a 'calibrated decision', it was 'suspending' the symbolic handshake of the Indian guard commander with the Pakistan counterpart, and the border gates would remain closed during the ceremony. These steps, it said, reflected 'India's serious concern over cross-border hostilities and reaffirms that peace and provocation cannot coexist'. The drill will, however, continue and common people will be allowed to witness the daily flag-lowering ceremony, a BSF official said. Among the three posts, the Attari border front a joint or integrated land border check post, located about 26 km from Amritsar, opposite Wagah in Pakistan, witnesses the maximum crowd. An official at the Land Port Authority of India at Attari said a movement of around 125 people was registered on Thursday, which includes the arrival of around 100 people from Pakistan and the departure of 25 people from India. 'On average, there is a passenger movement of 350-400 people on usual days, but today it was around 125, which is relatively less,' said the official, requesting anonymity. Pakistani nationals visiting India and Indians from Pakistan were seen returning to their respective countries through the 'Attari-Wagah' international border. In the aftermath of the terror strike in Pahalgam that left 26 dead, India on April 23 announced a series of measures. Pakistan nationals have been banned from traveling to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), and a 48-hour deadline was set up for any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa to leave India. According to data available with the Land Port Authority of India, in 2023-24, there was a passenger movement (arrival and departure) of 71,563 people through ICP at Attari, which is positioned as an important check-point, as Attari-Wagah is the only permissible land route allowed for trade and passenger movement between India and Pakistan. Besides, it serves as an important port for importing goods from Afghanistan into India. India developed its first land port at Attari along the international border between India and Pakistan in 2012. It is aimed at providing secure, seamless and efficient systems for cargo and passenger movement.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Passenger flow, trade come to a halt as govt shuts Attari
NEW DELHI: Govt's decision to close the Attari border is set to significantly impact cross-border movement - halting passenger travel and bringing an end to the limited trade that was still taking place via the land route. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to data on the Land Port Authority of India website, during 2022-23, over 70,000 passengers moved through the Attari-Wagah border, while nearly 7,000 consignments, valued at around Rs 3,900 crore, flowed in and out of the country. Soyabean, chicken feed, red chillies, vegetables and plastic yarn and dana (granules) were among the items shipped to Pakistan through the route, according to the website, while dry fruits, gypsum, cement, glass, rock salt and herbs came into India, some of which also arrived from Afghanistan. Former commerce secretary Rajeev Kher said govt's decision is a demonstration of its intent to stop flows and will have an impact on the people in Pakistan who depend on Indian products. "At this point, there is little trade from Attari. Officially Pakistan has closed trade with India. However, there is a trade of around $1billion with Pakistan and a minuscule quantity of imports of around $30 million but the trade from Attari has largely remained closed," said director general at Research and Information System for Developing Countries, adding that there was a need to show a tough stand. Pakistan has been advocating trade through the land route and some in India too were demanding more liberal rules. A few days ago, Shiromani Akali Dal workers also clashed with Border Security Force personnel near the Attari Integrated Check Post, demanding reopening of the border for trade. India's response after the Pahalgam carnage is seen as a signal that trade and people's relations can only be normalised if Pakistan stopped sponsoring terror. Post the Pulwama attacks in February 2019, the Union govt had withdrawn the most-favoured nation granted to Pakistan and raised import duty to 200% on goods from Pakistan across the border.
