A coalition of writers, scholars and farmers’ groups in Punjab has called for the reopening of cross-border trade routes at the Attari-Wagah Border, arguing that renewed economic ties could ease regional tensions and improve livelihoods.
At a gathering ahead of a planned rally on March 28, organizations including Shiromani Akali Dal Amritsar and several farmers’ unions pressed for the resumption of land-based trade between India and its western neighbors, particularly Pakistan. The event also drew support from literary groups such as the Folklore Research Academy Amritsar and the Progressive Writers' Association.
Speakers framed the demand not only as an economic imperative but also as a pathway to stability in border regions long shaped by geopolitical tensions. Ramesh Yadav, president of the Folklore Research Academy, said reopening trade routes could help reduce inflationary pressures and stimulate growth, particularly benefiting farmers, laborers and small traders.
Bhupinder Singh Sandhu, representing the Progressive Writers’ Association’s Amritsar unit, said that cross-border commerce could help “restore normalcy” in frontier areas and foster a climate of cooperation between India and Pakistan.
The groups also broadened their appeal beyond South Asia, calling for an end to ongoing conflicts in multiple regions, including the war in Ukraine and escalating tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Such conflicts, they said, have had far-reaching humanitarian and economic consequences.
The rally planned at the border crossing is expected to draw participation from political activists and civil society groups. Organizers have urged major political parties, including the Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bahujan Samaj Party, to endorse the initiative.
While the proposal faces significant diplomatic and security hurdles, its supporters say the economic and social dividends of renewed engagement could be substantial — and that, at a moment of heightened global uncertainty, such efforts are worth revisiting.
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