Web Desk
Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has ruled out the possibility of a resumption of stalled bilateral trade with India.
The response came from the commerce ministry over the widespread speculation on social media that the new government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is considering a proposal to resume trade with its arch rival India.
“There is no change in Pakistan’s policy on trade with India,” an official announcement from the commerce ministry said.
The appointment of a trade officer in New Delhi is one of the routine postings. The post in India in the Pakistan embassy in New Delhi has been vacant since 2015.
The prime minister has approved a senior officer of the Commerce and Trade Group, Qamar Zaman, for posting in New Delhi. He is one of the 15 officers appointed for posting in various countries. “The selection process for the appointment of all these trade officers was started by the previous government,” the official in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said.
“We have not changed anything in the summary of the previous government,” the source said, adding the selection process was found on merit.
The appointment of a new trade officer in New Delhi, like the previous two before him, will not get a visa and his time will end. Therefore, it is unlikely that India will grant a visa to the new officer appointed by Islamabad for posting in New Delhi if India follows its previous policy, according to English newspaper Daily Dawn.
Earlier, the government appointed two trade officers for posting in New Delhi but they were denied visas.
According to the announcement, the MoC manages 57 trade missions in 46 countries, which includes the post of Minister (Trade and Investment) in New Delhi, India.
The post of Minister (Trade and Investment) in New Delhi has existed for more than two decades and has no connection with the operationalisation of trade with India or otherwise in the current context.
The current cycle for the selection of Trade and Investment Officers (TIOs), including New Delhi, was initiated in December, 2021, and the final recommendations of the Interview Board were sent to the Prime Minister’s Office on April 1 of the previous government.
The present government has given final approval to the recommendations of the previous government for the selection of 15 TIOs.
The appointment of the Minister (Trade and Investment) in New Delhi, therefore, may not be seen in the context of any relaxation of trade restrictions with India, added the statement.
On August 19, 2019, Pakistan formally downgraded its trade relations with India to the level of Israel, with which Islamabad has no trade ties at all.
In reaction to India’s decision to revoke Article 370 of its constitution that granted occupied Kashmir a special status, Pakistan has downgraded diplomatic relations with India and now suspended bilateral trade with it.
