Islamabad: In a significant development, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has expressed the country’s earnest consideration to revive trade relations with India, which have remained suspended since August 2019. Dar’s statement signals a potential shift in Pakistan’s diplomatic stance towards its neighboring nation.
Dar articulated these sentiments during a press conference held in London following his participation in the Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels, as reported by Geo News.
Emphasizing the eagerness of Pakistan’s financially strained business community to resume trade activities with India, Dar remarked, “Pakistani businessmen want trade with India to resume.”
“We will seriously look into matters of trade with India,” stated the foreign minister, as quoted by the Express Tribune newspaper.
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This notable declaration by Dar indicates a possible recalibration of Pakistan’s diplomatic approach towards India, particularly in the realm of economic relations.
Pakistan’s diplomatic ties with New Delhi witnessed a downturn after the Indian government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, thereby revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and restructuring the state into two Union Territories.
In response to India’s actions, Islamabad underscored that such unilateral measures undermined the conducive environment necessary for bilateral talks.
While Pakistan has consistently urged India to reverse its decisions regarding Kashmir as a precursor to dialogue, India has rebuffed these demands, asserting the integral and inalienable nature of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh within its territory.
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Despite the impasse, both nations agreed to renew the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021, signaling a potential avenue for de-escalation.
Moreover, recent interactions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif on social media platforms have ignited hopes for a diplomatic thaw. Modi’s congratulatory message to Sharif upon assuming leadership and Sharif’s reciprocation in kind have sparked speculation regarding potential rapprochement.
As Pakistan’s new coalition government, led by Shehbaz Sharif, grapples with economic challenges at the onset of its tenure, the prospect of revitalizing trade ties with India could hold significant implications for both nations’ economic landscapes.
