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Attari-Wagah Border Closed: India announced the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari on the India-Pakistan border in Punjab following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. The attack, which took place at the picturesque Baisaran meadow in Anantnag district, killed at least 26 people—mostly tourists.
The decision to downgrade diplomatic ties and take stringent steps against Pakistan was taken during a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting held at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence on April 23.
Where Is the Attari-Wagah Border?
Attari and Wagah are two adjacent villages on either side of the India-Pakistan border—Attari in India, and Wagah in Pakistan. The Integrated Check Post at Attari, located 28 kilometres from Amritsar, is India’s first official Land Port and the only permitted land route for bilateral trade with Pakistan.
Spread across 120 acres and connected to National Highway 1, the check post is also known for ceremonial troop displays and sweet exchanges during festivals like Eid and Diwali.
What Will Happen to Those Who Crossed Attari-Wagah Border Over Recently?
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing the press on April 23, confirmed that those who had crossed into India with valid documentation would be allowed to return. “Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 1st May 2025,” he said.
The Attari Land Port has played a crucial role in India-Pakistan trade. Exports to Pakistan via this route include items like soybean, chicken feed, vegetables, red chillies, plastic dana, and plastic yarn. Imports from Pakistan consist of dry fruits, gypsum, cement, rock salt, dry dates, glass, and various herbs.
Despite rising tensions and declining volumes since 2018, the corridor continued to be a functioning trade and transit route.
How Will the Closure Impact Trade?
The economic implications are significant. According to The Times of India, in the financial year 2023–24, the land port saw trade worth ₹3,886.53 crore, 6,871 cargo movements, and 71,563 passenger crossings.
Small traders and manufacturers, especially those relying on routine cross-border exchange, are likely to bear the brunt of the closure. Afghan imports and exports passing through this corridor may also face logistical hurdles.
India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty—a decades-old water-sharing agreement—comes with the demand that Pakistan must “credibly and irrevocably abjure” its support for terrorism. The move aligns with New Delhi’s broader policy shift in response to cross-border terror threats.
What Is Pakistan Saying?
The government of Pakistan has denied any involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack. “Pakistan has nothing to do with it (Pahalgam terror attack),” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said during a television interview on April 23.
Indian officials suspect the attack was orchestrated by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot. Some unverified reports suggest Saifullah Kasuri, also known as Khalid, a senior Lashkar commander, may have masterminded the attack. However, there is no official confirmation of this yet.
The attack coincided with significant international engagements. U.S. Vice President JD Vance was visiting India, and Prime Minister Modi was on a state visit to Saudi Arabia. Modi cut short his trip and returned to New Delhi on April 24.
Also Read: What Is The Indus Waters Treaty—And Why Its Suspension By India Could Devastate Pakistan
