“Sialkot is less than an hour and Mirpur only five hours for the goods from Jammu”

“Sialkot is less than an hour and Mirpur only five hours for the goods from Jammu”
Interview with Annil Suri
President, Bari Brahamana Industries Association

D. Suba Chandran

India and Pakistan has agreed to open the LoC for trade. What are the prospects for the Jammu region?
Jammu region for long has been demanding the opening of LoC for trade. Also it has been demanding for the opening of Jammu-Sialkot road. It is important that both the above happens, so that Jammu region also benefits out of cross-LoC interactions.

Sialkot is less than an hour to reach from Jammu and Mirpur is only five hours for the goods from Jammu by road. Whereas other parts of State, for example Srinagar, takes almost ten hours to reach. Opening the LoC for trade and opening Jammu-Sialkot road are the most important issues related to the trading community in Jammu.

The annual turnover of J&K industry in organized sector is 100,000 crores. There will be an increase by fifty percent if this trade takes place. Other industries, for example, transport industry in Jammu is facing a crisis today; this will help reviving it along.

What are the items that could be traded from Jammu region?
Numerous items could be traded from Jammu region, which includes Steel, welding goods, calcium carbide, handicraft items, bed sheets, pillow covers, life saving drugs, package materials, paints and warnishes. Likewise, there could be items that be received from the other side, for example cement. Also, today Mirpur has electricity for 24 hours. Regions close to the LoC can benefit out of transferring power from that side to here.