New Delhi [India]: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday clarified that there are no discussions taking place to withdraw the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status accorded to Pakistan.
“Granting MFN status to a particular country is based on reciprocity. With regards to Pakistan, we already extended MFN status in 1996 as a gesture of goodwill and it was believed that they would also reciprocate but unfortunately they did not. However we have not discussed anything related to this, I thereby I cannot comment,” she said.
Last month, a meeting was called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the MFN status given to Pakistan, but it was postponed.
The issue pertaining to withdrawal of MFN status to Pakistan has been gaining prominence ever since 18 soldiers were killed during the terror strike on an army camp close to the headquarters of the 12th Brigade at Uri in Baramulla district.
India has blamed Pakistan for cross border terrorism and eventually withdrew from the SAARC Summit which was to be hosted by Pakistan in November.