Sharma to travel to Pak only after movement on MFN

“Pakistan is yet to reply to the letter. The letter essentially suggested a sequence of implementing the measures. The Indian side is waiting for the response and the minister’s visit to Pakistan is thus conditional. The minister has not called off his visit yet but it will fructify only when there is some positive indication (from Pakistan),” the official said.

Sharma was supposed to visit Pakistan next week to inaugurate India Show in Lahore that begins from February 14-16. Over 100 Indian companies are expected to mark their presence there. “Also, the Parliament session is on. The minister will factor in this aspect while taking a decision,” the official said.

During his visit last month, Khan and Sharma had said that the two sides agreed on opening the Wagah-Attari border for trade 24×7 while allowing more items through this route. Currently only 137 items can be traded through the Attari-Wagah land border.
The two sides had also agreed to allow containers, which were until now unloaded at the check-post and re-loaded on the other side, to be moved right up to Amritsar and Lahore. It was also decided to expedite the process of giving bank licences.

Pakistan had agreed to dismantle the negative list of 1,209 items, thereby opening gates for all of Indian goods into the neighbouring state. It has already missed the deadline of December 31, 2012.  Doing away with the list will automatically lead to grant of NDMA status to India.  Pakistan has also assured bringing down the sensitive list of items to 100 under the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) over a period of five years. India has agreed to do the same within one year.