LAHORE: There are at least 450 shipments trucks lying stranded at the Wagah Attari border, carrying at least 95,000 bags of cement and thousands of tons of gypsum and granite, in the backdrop of tension on the border after Pulwama attack.
Over 450 trucks have been lying stranded at the Wagah Attari border for over 11 days as security forces refused to allow trucks from Pakistan carrying shipments to be sent to India, in the backdrop of tension on the border after Pulwama attack that left 40 CRPF jawans dead.
There are at least 450 shipments trucks currently at the Wagah Attari border, carrying at least 95,000 bags of cement and thousands of tons of gypsum and granite, truck drivers told media.
The cement traders in Pakistan are ruing over the rising tension between both the countries. Cement demand was at its peak in India after the Modi government announced Rs 5,000 crore rehabilitation projects for flood-hit Kerala.
“The trucks are filled with tons of cement, granite, gypsum and dry dates, with traders and truck drivers forced to spend days and nights in uncertainty and fears of suffering massive losses,” truck drivers said.
Traders said that they have come from all parts of Pakistan with their trucks filled with cement and gypsum. But they have been told to go back by the border security forces at the Wagah border.
They said their visas and documentations were complete, but because of the sudden increase in the custom duty, Indian importers have refused to accept their shipments, leaving them in dire conditions and losses.
Report said that many of the trucks have already offloaded granite and gypsum, leaving piles and piles of stacks on the sides of the road, just a short distance from the Wagah Attari gate. But the cement filled trucks are still there with nowhere to go.
Rains have also come to haunt the Pakistani traders, as the shipments lying at the border are getting worn out, making it a complete nightmare for the traders. The Pakistani traders are now running after local buyers in desperation with fears that the cement bags worth billions and gypsum stacked up on the roadsides, will be of no use if more there’s more rain.
Bilateral-trade between India and Pakistan had come to a halt on February 14 this month following terrorist attack which killed 40 CRPF personnel.
India has been on an offensive against Pakistan not only on the diplomatic and political front, but also on the economic domain.
