Trade with India suspended due to heavy duties: Ishaq Dar
Trade between Pakistan and India has been suspended since 2019 due to heavy duties imposed by New Delhi on imports from Pakistan following the Pulwama attack, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar informed the National Assembly in a written response on Saturday.
Foreign Minister Dar referred to the February 14, 2019, suicide attack on a bus carrying soldiers in Indian-occupied Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 40 personnel.
'In response, India imposed a 200 percent duty on imports from Pakistan, suspended the Kashmir bus service, and halted trade across the Line of Control,' he explained.
The response was given to Sharmila Faruqui's query about the challenges Pakistan faces in its relations with neighboring countries.
Foreign Minister Dar outlined the difficulties in Pakistan's relations with India, Afghanistan, and Iran. We have consistently promoted constructive engagement and result-oriented dialogue to address all outstanding issues, including the central issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
'However, India's inflexibility and regressive actions have soured the atmosphere and hindered prospects for peace and cooperation,' Dar stated.
He added that India continues to entrench its occupation of Kashmir and has unleashed severe oppression on the Kashmiri people. 'India's aggressive stance poses a significant challenge to efforts for normalizing relations.'
The foreign minister Ishaq Dar also accused India of engineering acts of subversion in Pakistan, stating, 'The responsibility now lies with Delhi to take steps towards creating an environment conducive to peace and dialogue.'
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