Pakistan’s Cabinet on Thursday rejected the recommendation of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) to import cotton and sugar from India, with a couple of senior ministers saying there can be no normalization of ties with India until it reverses its unilateral decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 05 2019.
The decision came a day after the newly appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar on Wednesday announced to import cotton and sugar two key items from India, lifting a nearly two-year-long ban on their import from the neighbouring country.
Qureshi said the issue of import of cotton and sugar from India was discussed during the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.
In a video message, Qureshi can be heard saying, “An impression is being created that relations with India have become normal and trade has been restored, On this impression, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet had a consensus opinion that until India reviewed the unilateral actions of Aug 5, 2019, it would not be possible to normalize ties with India.”