Pakistan’s foreign minister hints at reviewing trade policy with India after years of suspension

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s newly appointed foreign minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday Pakistani business community was interested in the resumption of trade with India and the government would examine the possibility by holding consultations with all stakeholders over the issue.
Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic relations and suspended bilateral trade with India after New Delhi’s revocation of the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019. The move escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with the administration in Islamabad describing the decision as a violation of the disputed region’s autonomy that would create further instability in the neighborhood.
The broader geopolitical rift between the two countries impacted businesses on both sides who previously benefited from cross-border commerce in goods like textiles, agricultural products and medical supplies.
“India took extreme steps in August 2019 by making a constitutional and legal amendment that was very painful,” the Pakistani minister said during a media interaction in London. “There are UN Security Council resolutions [over the Kashmir issue] and the dispute lingers.”
“But I believe the Pakistani business community has been making this appeal and demand [to resume trade with India],” he continued.
Dar said the issue came up for discussion during his consultations with them before he presented the budget as the finance minister last year.
“They all pointed out that imports are still continuing via Dubai and Singapore with extra freight and transportation costs,” he added. “So, we will seriously examine this. All stakeholders will sit together and see, at least to the extent of economic activities and trade, what can be done.”
However, he pointed out any decision related to the issue would require consultation.
“You can’t change your neighbors,” he said. “Keep that in mind ... We have to coexist with them.”