Pakistan denies the backtrack reports on issuing India Most Favoured Nation status

Pakistan denies the backtrack reports on issuing India Most Favoured Nation status

The spokeswoman of Pakistani foreign office, Tehmina Janjua, has contradicted the media reports about adopting backtrack policy on declaring India Most Favoured Nation (MFN) for mutual trade. The spokeswoman further said that, we have taken a positive initiative
in this regard and the federal cabinet has approved the MFN status in principle.

Talking to the media on November 3, the foreign office representative gave the details of developments made so far in this regard. Tehmina said that, “Pakistan is not backtracking”. She added, “Pakistan clearly stated that our cabinet gave approval to move
forward on MFN status in principle.”

Pakistani government is taking a big step to revive the trade relations between two rival neighbours by declaring India MFN country despite huge disputes. The countries enjoy hostile relations since the very first day of their independence. They fought at
least three wars over Kashmir issue but remained failed to settle down the differences on tables and battle fields alike.

Meanwhile, US have also welcomed the Pakistan’s initiative to declare India Most Favoured Nation. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland talked to journalists about the issue and said that, “We don’t yet have most favored nation status, but what we
do have and we are very pleased to see happen is, we have a decision, unanimously approved by the Pakistani Cabinet, to open a path for full normalization of trade relations with India, as agreed in the meeting between the Indian and Pakistani commerce ministers
in Delhi this September, which will, in turn, we hope, lead to most favored nation status.”

The spokesperson further said that, “This is a very, very big deal, very important; could lead to really great economic opportunities for both India and Pakistan; sets the kind of example within the Silk Road family that we would like to see throughout that
region.”

On the other hand, various religious groups and industrialists including opposition parties of Pakistan have rejected the deal as it will be an unethical and unpleasant step of government to declare India favourite country by any mean. However, the final
decision in this regard is expected to be made in coming few weeks.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=2825

Posted by Shahid Nazir on Nov 4 2011. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry