ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) is carrying on discussions with stakeholders on the issue of opening the trade route between Pakistan and India via Monabao –Khokhrapar.
Khokhrapar is a border town situated in Tharparkar district Sindh while Munabao is a village in the Barmer District in Rajasthan bordering with Pakistan and both are situated at the distance of 322 kilometers from each other.
Prior to the 1965 Indo-Pak war, goods trains used to ply between Jodhpur and Karachi. There were strong business relations between Sindh and Marwar. After the war, the rail tracks were uprooted between Munabao and Khokhrapar and this rail route was closed. But with the revival of Munabao-Khokhrapar rail link in shape of Thar Express, the demand of revival of Munabao-Khokhrapar trade route has gained momentum.
“Presently, there are infrastructure issues like lack of road network for operationalisation of the route for trade and non-availability of Customs‘ set up at the border point,” a well-placed source privy to Minister for Commerce told this scribe here the other day. The source said that freight charges for commodities imported from India via Munabao-Khokhrapar route for southern parts of the country would be lesser than freight charges for those imported via other routes, due to lesser distance.
Moreover, the source said that Pakistan and India agreed to explore opportunities to open this trade route in consultation with the stakeholders during Indian Commerce Minister’s visit to Pakistan in February, 2012. “It was agreed in principle to constitute a Joint Working Group to explore the possibility of opening this route for trade,” the source added.
The source said that in recent past some two months back, the Indian High Commissioner Dr TCA Raghavan while addressing a meeting at Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) also pressed on opening of this route to enhance bilateral trade as well as to facilitate traders of both sides of the border.
The source further said that in March this year, senior Economic Officer at US Consulate in Karachi, Richard Bakewell, while addressing a joint press conference with President Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, hinted that said that opening of Hyderabad-Khokhrapar-Munabao train route would be economical for both the countries and also boost imports and exports of both India and Pakistan.
The source said that Pakistan could export several products including textile products to India and it could import machines which would be helpful for enhancing overall production and trade of the country. “In addition to this, vegetables, fruits and other items of daily-use could be exported and imported at economical rate which would also benefit public of both the countries and Thar areas and its people, who lack many basic facilities, will be the main beneficiary and also develop their living standard due to increase in trade through this train trade route,” the source added.
It is pertinent to note here that Munabao, is known for its handicrafts and furniture and could emerge as an important economic hub, not just of western Rajasthan, but northwestern India as a whole and Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique had also announced that decision on Pakistan-India trade through the land route of Khokhrapar-Munabao is to be made soon.
