Islamabad: Pakistan has ruled out any dialogue with India on free trade agreement
(FTA) or most favoured nation (MFN) status unless tangible progress is made on
political issues, particularly the Kashmir issue.
"Any proposal of FTA, the MFN status or any other step to promote trade with India
was impossible in the present circumstance," Pakistan Commerce Minister Humayun
Akhtar Khan told reporters on December 17.
He was asked to comment on India's suggestion that Pakistan was dragging its feet on
the MFN status to India.
"We cannot initiate dialogue with India on trade or grant (it) the MFN status until
it starts negotiations on political issues, particularly Kashmir, which is the core
dispute between the two countries," he said.
India wanted the MFN status before talks on political issues, but Pakistan believed
political issues, including Kashmir, should be tackled in the first place to have
durable trade relations with India, he said.
PTI
