ISLAMABAD – India is at the receiving end of a ‘surgical strike’ that ititself has launched by hiking custom duty of 200 per cent on all Pakistanigoods, Indian media reported.According to Kashmir Media Service (KMS) . a huge consignment of surgicalinstruments from Pakistan has been stuck at Wagah border as hundreds ofIndian suppliers have failed to pay the high custom duty. Media reportsquoting Indian suppliers said, the delay in custom clearance will lead toshortage of vital surgical items in Indian markets.The consignment awaiting the go-ahead from custom officials in Amritsar wasdispatched from Sialkot in Pakistan via Samjhauta Express train more than aweek ago, when the maximum custom duty on imported items from Pakistan wasnot more than 18 per cent.The surgical instruments manufactured in Sialkot city of Punjab areconsidered to be the best among the world and the hike of custom duty byIndia on Pakistani goods has made healthcare services in India to sufferthe most.“We are not able to pay the revised custom duty of 200 per cent becauseit’s too much. We are demanding that our consignments should be released onearlier custom duty so that we fulfill the demand of different hospitalsand medical colleges in different parts of India,” Mohit Mahajan, Presidentof Surgical Instrument Manufacturers and Traders Association of India, toldmedia.The imports include scissors, forceps and other surgical instruments.Surjit Kumar, a supplier based in Amritsar, said the prices of surgicalinstruments and other related items will sky-rocket in coming days becausemost of the surgical instruments come from Pakistan.“The hike will affect healthcare services as it will put huge burden onailing people,” said Nigam Gupta, a supplier from Jammu.“On hammer forging technique, Pakistan has an advantage over India due toits cheaper labour that is passed down as a hereditary skill,” Gupta said,adding that most of the suppliers in India are based in Punjab’s Jalandharas they receive surgical instruments from across the border mainly throughthe Delhi-Lahore rail link.
In order to punish Pakistan, India conducts surgical strike against itself
