No talks with Pakistan on trade resumption: EAM Jaishankar
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Washington: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed on Wednesday that there have been no discussions with Pakistan regarding the resumption of trade between the two countries.
Speaking at a news conference, Jaishankar responded to a query, stating, “Since last year, no talks have been held with Pakistan on trade, nor has there been any initiative from their side.”
He further clarified that India never stopped trade with Pakistan. The decision to halt trade, according to Jaishankar, was made by the Pakistan government in 2019.
India, he explained, has always advocated for Pakistan to grant India the status of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN), a status India had previously extended to Pakistan. “Our position has been clear from the start; India should be granted MFN status. We granted it to Pakistan, but they did not reciprocate,” Jaishankar added.
The suspension of all bilateral trade by Pakistan occurred in August 2019, following India’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of its Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. In retaliation, Islamabad also downgraded its diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
With PTI inputs