Industries body in Kutch wants reopening of trade route to Pakistan

Vadodara

A delegation of an industries association will travel to Delhi next month to seek a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over their demand for reopening of the trade route from Kutch in Gujarat to Pakistan.

The Federation of Kutch Industries Association (FOKIA) delegation was eager to meet Modi in Kutch, where he has been camping for last three days in connection with the annual DGPs (Directors General of Police) meet, but it could not materialise.

“Our delegation will go to Delhi in January next year to meet PM Modi there. We will make a request to the Prime Minister for opening of the road route through Kutch for trade with Pakistan,” FOKIA president Nimish Fadke said here today.

A trade route was operational between Diplo (Pakistan) and Khavda Naka (India) in Kutch district even about a decade after Independence. This trade route is not operational for more than last 50 years, Fadke said.

“During our delegation’s visit to New Delhi, we will earnestly request Prime Minister Modi to reopen this trade route and set up an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Khavda, to provide an easy access of Pakistan market for the industries of Kutch and western part of India,” he said.

“This will help industries in India to avoid expensive and long trade routes via Dubai or sea route,” he said.

“The only direct export route to Pakistan as of now is through Wagah border in Punjab. The other option is to route our exports via Dubai, but this is proving costly,” he said.

If the Kutch route is reopened, it can help textile, ceramic and chemical industries of Kutch to find overseas market, Fadke added.

PTI