Since India abolished Kashmir’s special constitutional status in August 2019, trade ties between the two countries have mostly remained frozen. The ministry of commerce, on the other hand, claims that Pakistan’s trade policy with India has not changed, implying that business ties will stay blocked.
South Asia, as has been well documented, is one of the least economically linked regions in the world, with the tense Pakistan-India relationship hampering business activities. Resuming commerce, however, can be a way to better bilateral ties and, if done right, can contribute to mutual economic success, as many in the government and the private sector have pointed out.
In fact, the former PTI-led government toyed with the idea of allowing limited imports from India last year (before backing down) through former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who also used mixed messaging when he said there would be no trade until changes to India-held Kashmir’s autonomous status were reversed.
Naturally, some in the country will object to retaining trade links with India, accusing it of betraying the Kashmir cause. Support for Kashmir is founded on values, and it should be maintained. If trade relations with India improve, it may create more favourable conditions for the resumption of bilateral discussion and negotiations to resolve the decades-old Kashmir problem peacefully and judiciously.
Allow it to investigate the possibility of resuming trade, especially if it benefits the local economy. This can result in both economic revitalization and normalisation of relations with India, which is unquestionably a better alternative than the current state of distrust in South Asia.
MUHAMMAD QASIM QAISER
GUJRANWALA
The post Trade with India appeared first on Pakistan Today.
from Pakistan Today https://ift.tt/9qs0oTn
0 comments: