Pakistan to grant MFN status to India
Pakistan has, in principle, decided to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in theNational Assembly.
The minister said during question hour that the dialogue process with India had been initiated after a gap of two years, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.
Khar said: "The topmost priority of the country is to ensure uninterrupted dialogue with India so that the resolution of core Kashmir could be ensured."
"There are a number of achievements regarding relations with India. We have achieved ground on trade with India. First time in history, the Indian foreign minister had attended the reception of Pakistan foreign minister in New York," she was quoted as saying.
During the past three years, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been discussed during all bilateral interactions between the leadership of the two countries as well as at the foreign secretary levels.
"I raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue with my Indian counterpart at the ministerial meeting in New Delhi in July 2011. The joint statement of the ministerial meeting underscored the need for continued discussion of Jammu and Kashmir in a purposeful and forward-looking manner with a view to finding a peaceful solution by narrowing divergences and building convergences," the minister said.
The MFN status could be a big step forward in strengthening trade ties between the two neighbours. Once MFN status is granted, Pakistan will have to treat India on par with its other favoured trading partners. India has already granted most favoured nation status to Pakistan and is treating it on par with other trading partners.
Pakistan Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim had visited India for five days last month.
Currently, Pakistan's exports to India stand at $300 million, while imports from India are at $1.5 billion.
* Mr.Jibran,only time will tell whether India will be 3rd largest economy by 2040 or not.But what about Pakistan.Forget where Pakistan will stand economically in 2040,the question is whether Pakistan will be there as one nation or not.It seems you are facinated by India,I would request you to concentrate more on pakistan so that it can come to that level atleast where it will not to beg from US and other countries.
* Thank you for your insightful comment and recommendations for me. Now please give me some time so I can provide you with a list of books to read regarding Naxalites, Nagaland, Operation Blue Star and the history of the separatist movement that is nowadays making news in the North. I am not fascinated by India however may I point out. Quite the contrary.
* And, yes, Pakistan does fascinate me. I keep wondering how can a country which was once part of the Greater India, a Gandhian India, the country considered to the Jewel in the crown of the English Empire, turn out to be so fanatical, violent and destructive.
Pakistan has, in principle, decided to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said in theNational Assembly.
The minister said during question hour that the dialogue process with India had been initiated after a gap of two years, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.
Khar said: "The topmost priority of the country is to ensure uninterrupted dialogue with India so that the resolution of core Kashmir could be ensured."
"There are a number of achievements regarding relations with India. We have achieved ground on trade with India. First time in history, the Indian foreign minister had attended the reception of Pakistan foreign minister in New York," she was quoted as saying.
During the past three years, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute has been discussed during all bilateral interactions between the leadership of the two countries as well as at the foreign secretary levels.
"I raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue with my Indian counterpart at the ministerial meeting in New Delhi in July 2011. The joint statement of the ministerial meeting underscored the need for continued discussion of Jammu and Kashmir in a purposeful and forward-looking manner with a view to finding a peaceful solution by narrowing divergences and building convergences," the minister said.
The MFN status could be a big step forward in strengthening trade ties between the two neighbours. Once MFN status is granted, Pakistan will have to treat India on par with its other favoured trading partners. India has already granted most favoured nation status to Pakistan and is treating it on par with other trading partners.
Pakistan Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim had visited India for five days last month.
Currently, Pakistan's exports to India stand at $300 million, while imports from India are at $1.5 billion.
Comments
* If India is supposed to do something to increase Trade with Pakistan then it should do it. I think you better check what MFN really means.
Kashmir,Kashmir,Kashmir. Pakistanis have ruined themselves because of this. Economy is in shambles, your PMs and Presidents go on ‘Begging tours’, dominant military.
Kashmir is a problem which might never be solved on Pakistan’s interests. Its just not possible. As India rises and moves to a completely different level of playing field than that of Pakistan, it is in the best interests of both countries,especially Pakistan, to improve trade ties with India. If not its Pakistan’s karma, India will continue at a phenomenal rate and become one of the top 3 economies by 2040 even by current growth rates,which will only increase.
* I see a comment written in complete ignorance of history and economic cycles. Time will tell, it always has and it always does. Your macroeconomic indicators are great, the lives of your middle class and citizens however are nothing in tune to the amazing pace you talk of. Not even close. I visited India for quite a few trips, I got a fair number of sayings from people who had been at both sides of the border. A prominent one was “hum chaand pohanch jaaein ge par rahein ge inhi darboon mein”. (We Indians will reach the moon very quickly, but our houses will remain the size of chicken sheds.) You need to grasp some realities as well. Im good with you reaching the moon as long as I retain what I have. I know what MFN means, thankyou* Mr.Jibran,only time will tell whether India will be 3rd largest economy by 2040 or not.But what about Pakistan.Forget where Pakistan will stand economically in 2040,the question is whether Pakistan will be there as one nation or not.It seems you are facinated by India,I would request you to concentrate more on pakistan so that it can come to that level atleast where it will not to beg from US and other countries.
* Thank you for your insightful comment and recommendations for me. Now please give me some time so I can provide you with a list of books to read regarding Naxalites, Nagaland, Operation Blue Star and the history of the separatist movement that is nowadays making news in the North. I am not fascinated by India however may I point out. Quite the contrary.
* And, yes, Pakistan does fascinate me. I keep wondering how can a country which was once part of the Greater India, a Gandhian India, the country considered to the Jewel in the crown of the English Empire, turn out to be so fanatical, violent and destructive.
It makes me wonder how can that country uphold a divisive theory as the Two nation theory,which essentially says 2 set of human beings are different and which can institutionally declare(blasphemy laws for one) minorities,especially Ahmedis, to be lesser citizens than the over-whelming majority(who by the way are fighting among themselves be it on the Provincial level or ethnic level or Religious level).
Now here you have your biased history books talking. You wont find this in the Guardian or the New York Times or Der Speigel. Part of Greater India? The Muslim League’s elements only took up demand for a separate country AFTER some of the religious shenanigans conducted there by the Congress. In the final two efforts made by the British in India, the Cabinet Mission Plan and the Cripps Mission, something akin to solution was turning out. There was a federation being formed with provinces having right to secede after ten years in one case, but the federation was being kept intact. Muslim League accepted that proposal, Congress rejected it. They wanted ultimate control over the center. The whole ploy was that let this country be formed, it won’t be viable, it doesn’t have the infrastructure, it simply isn’t sustainable. The non-payment of funds from the Central Bank, train carriages being divided, not to mention a host of other resources that were due to Pakistan was a part in this ploy. In the end the country would come begging back in a few years for a federation again, when greater powers could be retained by the Center, a Congress held centre. It did not happen, the country survived. Despite all odds, the country survived. That’s the history you will never be told in your history book. The ones that do, you stigmatize.Head in the sand syndrome? India’s no where off. Please refer to the situation of some of your minorities. Here, you have ther unique case of the institutional put up and maintenance of a facade of calm, over anything that is but, helped of course by the Der Speigels’ and the Guardians’ home countries seeing economic benefits to turn a blind eye to them. This doesn’t last for long. When your eyes are able to pierce through the sand grains, then comment on my position please.* Yes Pakistan supports the “Afghan” taliban. It is a well known fact. And it will. Its in its interest to do so. They are pashtun. Pakistan has a historic link with Pashtun. We support them because India supports the Tajik Northern Alliance, who are the power in Kabul. When the NATO forces leave, and they will, there will be a power struggle as last time and Pakistan wants its interests to be safeguarded there by the pashtun Afghan Taliban to vie for the centre so that the Indian supported, minority Tajik group does not come to power and Pakistan has a hostile neighbor that is a puppet for India, opening up 2 fronts. Its rational. Your international new media says so as well! The problem is not whether the international news media + India is flat, the problem is which one you allow yourself to read.
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