No proposal to review ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status to Pakistan: Govt

In a written reply to a question, minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar said India has accorded MFN status to all WTO members, including Pakistan, in accordance with the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

There is no proposal to review the ‘Most Favoured Nation’ (MFN) status to Pakistan, the government said today.

A file photo of Pakistani rangers and Indian Border Security Force officers lowering their national flags during a daily parade at the Pakistan-India joint check-post at Wagah border. (Reuters)

In a written reply to a question, minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar said India has accorded MFN status to all WTO members, including Pakistan, in accordance with the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

“It is unfortunate that Pakistan has not fulfilled its international obligations in this regard, so far,” the minister told the Rajya Sabha in his reply.

He also said that presently, no proposal to review the MFN status to Pakistan was under consideration.

Replying to separate question, Akbar said SAARC has been unable to achieve its potential as key initiatives, including in the important area of connectivity, were held back due to “lack of response and/or obstructionist” approach of Pakistan.

Several SAARC member states expressed their inability to participate in the 19th SAARC Summit that was scheduled to be held in November 2016 in Pakistan due to concerns arising from increasing cross-border terrorist attacks in the region and growing interference in the internal affairs of member states by that country, the minister said.