The Hindu : No MFN status, says Pak.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

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International

No MFN status, says Pak.

Islamabad Feb. 7. Contradicting recent assurances by the President, Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan today denied granting of the Most Favoured Nation status to India, saying it would be given only when New Delhi agreed to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan would consider granting MFN status only if India agreed to resolve the Kashmir dispute, the Commerce Minister, Humayun Akhtar, told reporters here.

Mr. Akthar said Pakistan was ready to hold talks with India on bilateral trade provided all outstanding political issues, including Kashmir are resolved.

The Minister's comments contradicted the recent commitments given by Gen. Musharraf and Foreign Secretary, Riaz Kokhar, to Janata Party president, Subramanian Swamy, that a draft was being prepared to grant MFN status to India.

During his recent visit to Islamabad at the invitation of Musharraf to help normalise Indo-Pak relations, Mr. Swamy had said that the move was seen as a part of package to normalise bilateral ties. — PTI

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No MFN status, says Pak.