By Jaideep Sarin, IANS
Attari border (Punjab) : It was on their sturdy shoulders that the trade between India and Pakistan, worth over Rs.6 billion, had been taking place so far. A historic move Monday to allow trucks to carry cargo between the two countries has made hundreds of porters here anxious about their future.
The porters – nearly 1,500 on the Indian side and almost an equal number on the Pakistani side at Wagah – have been manually carrying goods on their shoulders and on trolleys to the other country to facilitate the restricted trade taking place between the two sides through this border land route.
“I don’t know what will happen. If trucks will carry goods to the other side, we will be rendered out of job. Although officials are saying that we will not lose work, most of us are apprehensive,” explained porter Karam Singh.
But officials and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal have assured the porters that they will not lose work.
“We will not let any of the 1,500 porters on the Indian side lose work. In fact, they will have much more work because the volume of cargo will increase manifold and porters will be required to load and unload goods,” Badal said here.
He made it clear that the district officials concerned have been instructed not to cancel the licence of any porter.
“The government should rehabilitate us if we lose our work. Otherwise, we will agitate,” warned porter Charan Dass.
The agreement between India and Pakistan allows trucks from the two countries to cross the international border at the joint check-post here and unload the goods at the customs house in each other’s territory.
The limited goods traded between them include perishables like fruits and vegetables, dry fruits, livestock, meat and poultry.
“The porters will have more work since the volume of goods will be much more. As business through trucks picks up, 20-25 trucks could cross the border every day and the porters will have a lot to unload on both sides,” Rajdeep Uppal of Narain Exports Corp said here.
Customs officials here say that the trucks will be allowed to move between the two countries between 7.30 a.m. and 2.30 p.m.
Each truck will have only the driver who will sport a “Driver India” or “Driver Pakistan” jacket. He will not be required to carry a passport or visa but will have a special permit to cross the border.