ISLAMABAD: Commerce ties between Pakistan and India have remained suspended since 2019 because of imposition of heavy duties by New Delhi on imports from Pakistan after the Pulwama attack, Overseas Minister Ishaq Dar informed the Nationwide Meeting in written reply to a query on Saturday.
Mr Dar was referring to a suicide attack on a bus carrying troopers in Indian-occupied Kashmir on Feb 14, 2019, during which 40 personnel misplaced their lives.
“India determined to impose 200 per cent duty on imports from Pakistan, suspended the Kashmir bus service and commerce throughout the Line of Management,” he stated.
The reply was over a query by Sharmila Faruqui in search of particulars about challenges being confronted by Pakistan in its relations with neighbouring international locations.
Mr Dar highlighted the challenges confronting Pakistan in its relations with India, Afghanistan and Iran. “Now we have constantly advocated constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to resolve all excellent points, together with the core situation of Jammu and Kashmir.
“However India’s intransigence and retrogressive actions have vitiated the environment and impeded the prospects of peace and cooperation,” Mr Dar added.
He stated that India continued its efforts to consolidate its occupation of held Kashmir and unleashed a wave of oppression on hapless Kashmiris. “India’s belligerence poses a severe problem to efforts for normalisation of relations.”
The overseas minister stated India had engineered acts of subversion in Pakistan and the “onus is now on Delhi to take steps for the creation of an surroundings that’s conducive to peace and dialogue”.
Afghan ties
Relating to Afghanistan, Mr Dar stated Pakistan believes {that a} peaceable and steady Afghanistan is a strategic crucial for Pakistan.
“Pakistan has constantly remained engaged with the interim Afghan authorities, neighbouring international locations and the worldwide group to realize the target of peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the reply stated.
However, the overseas minister regretted, “terrorism from Afghanistan has emerged as a serious problem” for Pakistan over the past a number of years within the form of assaults by the TTP and its associates based mostly in Afghanistan.
“Freedom of motion loved by the TTP there has hampered efforts to enhance bilateral relations,” Mr Dar stated.
Revealed in Daybreak, Could nineteenth, 2024