JAMMU: The decision taken by the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan recently at Islamabad to start a truck service as a first step towards promotion of trade across the Line of Control (LoC) has enthused traders in the State. According to them, this will restore natural trade rhythms, which were severed in 1947-48.

It was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who had first mooted the proposal to use LoC linkages for economic progress of the State during his last visit here.

Local businessmen have already identified more than a dozen items that can be traded across the LoC. For this purpose, a number of detailed workshops were held by the Chamber of Commerce.

Items identified

It has been found that fresh fruits, carpets, salty tea, saffron, `bhaderwahi' beans, basmati rice, herbs such as `dhania' or even spices such as tea, ginger and garlic can be exported. The market of high-value products such as guchian (local mushroom) can be explored.

President of the Chamber of Commerce Ram Sahai, who is going to lead a delegation of traders of the State to Pakistan occupied Kashmir in a few days, said: "We had already been planning to revive trade between the two parts of the State and are already in touch with traders across the Line of Control. The stamp of approval by the two governments would be a source of encouragement for us."

In 1947, much of the trade of the State was with western Punjab (now in Pakistan), as this was the only road and railway link of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of British India.

Even then, raw materials such as willow and saffron would reach the Punjab markets in Lahore and Rawalpindi, while goods such as rocksalt, raisin, apricot and other dry fruits would come to the State from the neighbouring Punjab province.

Goods came by train

Most goods used to come via train, which used to pass through Sialkot district of Punjab, now in Pakistan. From Suchetgarh border, all the prosperous business centres of Pakistan such as Sports City, Sialkot and Lahore are less than five hours away.

Local businessmen give credit to Dr. Singh for the development since he was the first to say that softening of the border would restore the State's trade links with Pakistan and with West Asia via Pakistan.

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