News
Monday, November 07, 2011
PML-N accepts MFN status mutely, but also for removal of NTBsBy Tanveer Ahmed
ISLAMABAD: Compared to right wing and religious segments of society, PML-N, a party of center right is not opposed to granting of Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) Status to India, but aspires the reciprocal gestures from the neighbouring country in shape of removal of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) on the goods originating from Pakistan.
The PPP led government recently opted to granting MFN status to India following the approval of federal cabinet in its last meeting and decided to take it to parliament for full and final decision.
The decision has created a storm in the religio-politico parties and right wing part of the society which have blamed the PPP government for going extra mile to award this status to India with which Pakistan has have hostile relations since partition and lingering dispute of Kashmir.
The business community, however overwhelmingly commended the decision, which they believed, would give a boost to bilateral trade that remained hostage to acrimonious relations between the two neighbouring countries. “Pakistan was required to give this status India because the neighbouring country did the same 15 years back,” PML-N Deputy Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal replied when Daily Times contacted him for his party’s position on this status.
Ahsan however, said that the most important thing to be looked into was how India reciprocated the gesture especially the removal of NTBs on Pakistani goods to India. He pointed out that these NTBs were the major hurdles in realizing the full potential of Indian market and should be taken care of to penetrate in the neighbouring country.
When asked whether PML-N would raise the issue in the Parliament, Iqbal avoided directly responding to the question and sticking to the point that NTBs were the real issue that should be looked into. It is to mention here that after the cabinet’s decision, PML-N central leader and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had expressed serious concern over it However, political analysts are of the view that Nisar spoke against MFN just for political rhetoric; otherwise PML-N would not oppose this decision because of its strong support in the mercantile segment of the society, an ultimate beneficiary of this decision.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk