Trade with India to stay on hold

PM directs for imports from other countries

ISLAMABAD:

The government decided on Friday not to go ahead with trade with India under the current circumstances, until New Delhi revisited its illegal actions of August 5, 2019 to abolish the special status of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The issue of trade with the neighbouring country came to surface this week when the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet approved a summary of the ministry of commerce, seeking import of sugar and cotton from India.

The move immediately triggered a strong reaction from opposition particularly from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which questioned how the government could reopen trade with India without first getting the special status of Kashmir restored.

The ECC decision came up for approval in the cabinet meeting on Thursday, which deferred the decision after at least four cabinet members, including foreign minister, planning minister, human rights minister and railways minister opposed it.

Against the backdrop of the ECC decision, Prime Minister Imran Khan held detailed consultations with the key cabinet members on Friday and decided that Pakistan could not go ahead for any trade with India under the current circumstances, according to the state-run APP news agency.

Quoting official sources, the report said that the prime minister instructed the commerce ministry and his economic team to immediately take steps to facilitate relevant sectors – value-added apparel and sugar – by finding alternative cheapest sources of imports.

“The prime minister gave the instructions in the meeting that there would be no trade with India until it [Indian government] revisits the illegal steps of August 5, 2019,” Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Security Dr Moeed Yusuf later said in an interview with a private news channel.

India had on August 5, 2019 revoked the special status of the disputed territory, triggering one of the worst phases of tensions with Pakistan. In reaction to India’s unilateral move, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties and suspended bilateral trade.

On Wednesday ECC immediately allowed the import of sugar, cotton and yarn from India to bridge shortfalls in the country. However, the cabinet on Thursday deferred the ECC decision, while the government formed a subcommittee to further look into the matter.

After the cabinet meeting , Foreign Minister Qureshi released a video statement, saying that the government deferred the decision on trade with India, adding that there was a consensus in the cabinet that normalisation of ties could only take place if India reviewed its August 5, 2019 decision.

Also read: No trade with India!

The reopening of trade with India was being seen as part of a gradual push by the two countries to ease bilateral tensions. It all started when the directors general of the military operation on February 25 agreed to restore the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC).

The two countries also allowed their respective Indus water commissioners to meet in New Delhi last month, suggesting a thaw. But the cabinet’s move to put on hold the decision of import from India may slow down the rapprochement.

The matter was raised during a briefing by Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Hafiz Chaudhri on Friday. Chaudhri said that there was no change in Pakistan’s stance on the longstanding Kashmir dispute amid controversy over whether to allow import of sugar and cotton from India.

He said that he had nothing to offer other than what Foreign Minister Qureshi had “already stated on the subject”. Responding to a question, he said Pakistan had never shied away from talks with India but added that India had to create conducive environment for a meaningful engagement.

“Pakistan also once again calls for peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions for durable peace and stability in the region,” Chaudhri stressed.

Referring to the killing of another six Kashmiri youth by the Indian occupation forces during the past two weeks, the spokesperson called for immediate and transparent judicial inquiry, under international scrutiny, into the extrajudicial killings of all innocent Kashmiris.