Opening ceremony held at Wagah border: integrated Check Post to help achieve trade target of $7 billion in two years

"Hassel free movement of goods through Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Wagah Border will foster bilateral trade manifold and help achieve envisaged target of trade to the tune of seven billion dollars in next two years". Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Saarc CCI) President Vikramjit Singh Sahney stated this at the occasion of the opening ceremony of ICP performed by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram at Attari-Wagha border.
Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, Union Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Perneet Kaur, Union Minister of State for Planning, Ashwani Kumar and Indian Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif were also present.
The ceremony was also attended by Commerce Secretary Zafar Mehmood and his Indian counter as well as Tariq Iqbal Puri Chief Executive Officer of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. Tariq Sayeed, former President of Saarc CCI represented the FPCCI, while Iftikhar Ali Malik represented Saarc CCI from Pakistan Chapter in this gathering attended by more than 100 businessmen from both countries.
Saarc CCI leaders, President Vikramjit Singh Sahney from India, Vice President Iftikhar Ali Malik and former President of Saarc CCI Tariq Sayeed from Pakistan in their joint statement regarded the ICP as a landmark achievement in the history of Indo-Pakistan relationship and congratulated Indian and Pakistani governments for taking this bold initiative.
"We have witnessed a lot of development in bilateral relations since April 2011 when commerce secretaries met, paving the way for exchange of visit at Ministerial level, followed by recent visit of President Zardari development and now the starting of Integrated Check Post, which is commendable," said Sayeed adding he expected a major breakthrough on the scheduled visit of Indian Prime Minister in near future. Iftikhar Ali Malik termed the recent development as an outcome of the persistent efforts by the private sectors of both countries, which generated the much needed political will, required to unleash the potential of bilateral trade.
Saarc CCI Secretary General Muhammad Iqbal Tabish, while regarding it as a turning point of indo-Pakistan economic relations, said the success of the ICP would largely depend upon the level of facilitation including increase in number tradable item, flexible visa facilitation mechanism, removal of non-tariff barriers procedural hurdles and above all committed efforts and positive approach to achieve the envisioned trade target.
ICP is the first project of India constructed along the international border. It spreads over an area of about 130 acres and constructed in a span of two years at a cost of nearly Indian Rs 1,500 million. This much awaited check post is expected to boost trade between India and Pakistan five times more in the coming years, and will also give a fillip to people to people ties between the neighbouring countries. Pakistan is having a similar ICP at its own side at Wagha.
The ICP will operate 12-hour from 7 am to 7 pm everyday. This would substantially increase the trade movement on both sides leading to higher returns for traders. Two gates will now operate, against the one that till today had been a major cause of traffic congestion on the route, causing enormous unwarranted delays.