Article 370 fallout: Pakistan ends trade ties with India, expels envoy
Islamabad : A day after scrapping of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan announced downgrading diplomatic ties with India. Islamabad on Wednesday expelled Indian envoy and said they are suspending bilateral trade with the neighbouring nation.
"Our ambassadors will no longer be in New Delhi and their counterparts here will also be sent back," Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reportedly told a local news agency.
Post Pulwama Attack, the bilateral trade between India and Pakistan were already in a low, so according to the experts, the move by Islamabad will not pinch much to India. The total aggregate volume of bilateral trade between India and Pakistan stood at $2.40 billion in 2017-18.
The decision to end bilateral trade ties with India is being considered as Pakistan's retaliation to the decision of scrapping Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The decision was made in a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), headed by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, which comprised Pakistan's top civilian and military leadership. The committee "discussed situation arising out of unilateral and illegal actions by Indian government, situation inside Indian-occupied Kashmir and along LoC".
Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of NSC.
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) August 7, 2019
Prime Minister directed that all diplomatic channels be activated to expose the brutal Indian racist regime and human rights violations.
He directed Armed Forces to continue vigilance.#StandwithKashmir #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/3nqjcrwUQ3
As per the official Twitter account of the Government of Pakistan (@pid_gov), the NSC has decided to downgrade diplomatic relations with India, suspend bilateral trade, review bilateral arrangements and take the matter of Kashmir to the United Nations, including the Security Council.
A tweet by Pakistani government read that PM Imran Khan has "directed that all diplomatic channels be activated to expose the brutal Indian racist regime and human rights violations". He directed Armed Forces to continue vigilance, it said.
"The issue of Kashmir is a problem of humanity, human rights and freedom which the world needs to recognise. The atrocities and oppression on the people of India-occupied Kashmir are being highlighted by international media," read the tweet.
