Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday urged the Governments of India and Pakistan to open trade through Hussainiwala border of the State to herald a new era of economic development in the region.
Addressing of industrialists and delegates from India and Pakistan during an interactive session on ‘Punjab-Punjab Cooperation’ organised by Confederation of India Industry (CII) here, Badal said that the opening of this border was the need of the hour as it would promote trade activities between both the countries which would be pivotal in the development of both the eastern and western Punjab.
The chief minister said that the time has come when both these countries should, as a part of their confidence building measures, remove these physical barriers thereby allowing the free flow of trade and commercial activity between both the countries. In his address, Shahbaz Sharif said that there were certain soft areas where both the states could easily initiate bilateral trade without the intervention of Federal governments of India and Pakistan. He said exchange of ideas, technology through business delegations and progressive farmers does not warrant any approval from Federal governments.