MFN: Pak keeps India guessing

As the worlds major economies,including the US and China,welcome the grant of Most Favoured Nation status by Pakistan to India

As the worlds major economies,including the US and China,welcome the grant of Most Favoured Nation MFN status by Pakistan to India,Islamabad appears to be diluting its stance on the issue. In fact,Islamabad has kept New Delhi guessing as to whether India has actually become one of the nations to enjoy MFN status with regard to Pakistan in terms of trade.

On Wednesday,even after Pakistani Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan told a crowded press conference that a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had unanimously decided to grant India the MFN status,a press release on the website of Pakistans Press Information Department merely said the Prime Minister was briefed on the steps being taken for normalisation of trade with India.

A statement from Pakistans commerce ministry read: The Federal Cabinet8230; was briefed on the steps being taken for normalization of trade with India. The Cabinet was also apprised about the further steps to be taken in this direction so as to bring trade in line with our international obligations.

On Thursday,Pakistans foreign office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua at a weekly news conference in Islamabad stated the governments position when asked about the confusion surrounding the move to grant India MFN status. The Cabinet fully endorsed the efforts of the Ministry of Commerce for complete normalisation of trade relations with India and directed to implement in letter and spirit the decisions taken in this regard, she said.

In New Delhi,commerce ministry officials though agreed that the discrepancy certainly gives confusing signals,the government is on a guarded optimism and is still awaiting the manner in which Pakistan intends to implement the announced MFN status.

The officials said ever since the news of MFN status to India trickled in,the government has been on a wait and watch mode for the clarity to come in.

PTI reported that hours before the news briefing at the Foreign Office,the Commerce Ministrys statement that read,The Cabinet gave the Commerce Ministry the mandate to take the process of normalisation forward,which would culminate in the observance of Most Favoured Nation principle in its true spirit,was removed from Pakistans Press Information Departments website.

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Sources in Delhi said the apparent dilution may have been caused due to protests by certain business lobbies in Pakistan. Sources said the Pakistani government might have put the statement to placate them. However,India remains sanguine ahead of the commerce secretary meet on November 14-18.