Paramjit Singh Sarna Welcomes Direct Kabul-Amritsar Cargo Flights
NEW DELHI, Nov 30 (WISHAVWARTA):— Delhi Akali chief Paramjit Singh Sarna has welcomed the move to revive direct India–Afghanistan air cargo routes and said the reopening of the Kabul–Amritsar sector brings long overdue relief to Punjabi traders who have watched their traditional links with Afghan markets shrink under sporadic border and airspace restrictions.
Speaking in Delhi on Sunday, Sarna said the decision reflects “a practical understanding of how closely livelihoods in Punjab and Afghanistan are tied to one another” and noted that Amritsar’s reappearance on the air freight map restores a route that once carried a steady flow of dried fruits, herbs, saffron, fresh produce, textiles, and small industrial goods.
According to Sarna, Punjab’s importers and exporters have faced acute uncertainty as Prepeated closures of land crossings and overflight routes via Pakistan for choked the movement of Afghan produce. “The disruption did not stay confined to one border. It rippled into mandi yards across Punjab where traders waited for consignments that never came. Reconnecting Amritsar and Kabul by air gives both sides room to breathe again,” he said.
The Ministry of External Affairs has reportedly confirmed that the Kabul–Delhi and Kabul–Amritsar corridors are now almost active and await final procedural steps from Afghan authorities before flights commence.
“People forget how old the trade relationship is. These routes have been arteries of exchange for generations. When they reopen, entire communities feel the lift,” Sarna remarked.
He also welcomed ongoing conversations between New Delhi and Kabul on reinstating trade attachés and reactivating the joint working group on commerce, investment, and connectivity. He said that institutional cooperation is essential if the air corridors are to become stable rather than stopgap. “There is appetite on both sides to rebuild. Amritsar’s inclusion signals that Punjab will play its part in that wider effort,” he said.
With discussions underway to expand services to Kabul–Kandahar as well, Sarna said traders in Punjab hope the new momentum will anchor a more reliable trade architecture connecting Afghanistan, northern India, and Central Asia.
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