Campaigning in Attari on 21 February, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal pledged that if his party returns to power in Punjab he will reopen the Attari (near Amritsar) and Fazilka border checkpoints for cross-border trade, aiming to turn Amritsar into a regional export hub for fresh produce bound for Central Asia.(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
The two Integrated Check Posts connect India with Pakistan’s Wagah and Sadiqi checkpoints respectively but commercial traffic has been largely frozen since bilateral tensions escalated in 2019. Local exporters estimate they have lost Rs 4,000 crore in annual earnings, while transport firms have diverted fleets to the distant Munabao–Khokhrapar corridor in Rajasthan.(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
![Punjab opposition leader vows to reopen Attari and Fazilka trade borders]()
For traders and executives preparing to cross the Wagah or Sadiqi corridors once they reopen, obtaining the right visas quickly will be crucial. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) streamlines applications for Indian, Pakistani and many other travel documents, helping businesses save time and reduce administrative friction as cross-border commerce picks up.
Badal’s manifesto also envisages a special industrial zone along the border with tax incentives to lure factories that have migrated to neighbouring hill states. While the promise is contingent on electoral victory and federal clearances, it highlights growing pressure from Punjab’s agribusiness lobby to normalise trade routes once India-Pakistan relations improve.
Multinational produce buyers and logistics providers should monitor developments; a reopening could slash transit times to Lahore, Karachi Port and onward to Central Asian markets, offering a lower-cost alternative to maritime routes via Kandla.
The two Integrated Check Posts connect India with Pakistan’s Wagah and Sadiqi checkpoints respectively but commercial traffic has been largely frozen since bilateral tensions escalated in 2019. Local exporters estimate they have lost Rs 4,000 crore in annual earnings, while transport firms have diverted fleets to the distant Munabao–Khokhrapar corridor in Rajasthan.(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
For traders and executives preparing to cross the Wagah or Sadiqi corridors once they reopen, obtaining the right visas quickly will be crucial. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) streamlines applications for Indian, Pakistani and many other travel documents, helping businesses save time and reduce administrative friction as cross-border commerce picks up.
Badal’s manifesto also envisages a special industrial zone along the border with tax incentives to lure factories that have migrated to neighbouring hill states. While the promise is contingent on electoral victory and federal clearances, it highlights growing pressure from Punjab’s agribusiness lobby to normalise trade routes once India-Pakistan relations improve.
Multinational produce buyers and logistics providers should monitor developments; a reopening could slash transit times to Lahore, Karachi Port and onward to Central Asian markets, offering a lower-cost alternative to maritime routes via Kandla.
