Attari Amritsar, Feb 13 (PTI) To enhance trade between India and Pakistan through the land route, a senior official of Home Ministry today visited the under-construction second Integrated Check Post at Attari/Wagah border here and voiced concern over slow pace of work on the project. K.K. Mittal, Secretary (Border Management), Ministry of Home Affairs, during his visit, expressed deep concern over the slow pace construction of ICP and directed the working team to expedite the work. On February 6, Pakistani Collector of Customs, Lahore, Ali Salman Abbasi had, during his visit to Amritsar, said his country was ready to open the ICP from Pakistan side since all the arrangements were completed on Pakistan side but as far Indian side was concerned, the arrangements were still incomplete. The ICP on the Indian side is spread over 130 acres of land for which the Centre is spending Rs. 120 crore. This is the first ICP among 13. Around 200 trucks carrying merchandise daily go from India to Pakistan and quite a number of trucks move from Pakistan to India at the Joint Check Post. Because of inadequate trade infrastructure facilities at the border, Indian trucks are parked on the road side which is a serious bottleneck not only for passengers but also a hurdle in further enhancement of trade between Pakistan and India, added an official.
