Pak Minister On Flood Aid From India: Government Will Consult Allies

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Minister of Finance Pakistani Miftah Ismail said on Wednesday the government would consider importing goods from India after consulting with the main coalition and stakeholder partners, because the country lacking money seeks to stabilize the soaring food prices that were triggered by flash floods that had made chaos throughout the country.

The idea to import goods that can be eaten from India was first floated by the Minister of Finance on Monday, when the country’s victims crossed 1,100 and hundreds of thousands of people displaced, and thousands of hectares of plants were destroyed.

More than one international institution has approached the government to enable them to bring food from India through the land border. The government will make the decision to allow imports or not based on the position of supply lack, after consulting with the main coalition & stakeholder partners,” Ismail said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has decided to import onions and tomatoes from Iran and Afghanistan after the future food crisis triggered by flash floods.

Flash floods triggered by rain have inundated one third of the country and destroyed agricultural land, causing the threat of lack of vegetables and fruits along with uneven price increases from several important commodities.

To ward off its impact, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research in a meeting held in Islamabad on Tuesday announced that they would issue permits within 24 hours to facilitate imports onon and tomatoes from Iran and Afghanistan, according to a statement.

The ministry also asked the Federal Revenue Board to put aside taxes and levies on imports of onions and tomatoes for the next three months and hoped that this would be valid.

These steps are intended to ensure the supply of important commodities in the market and stabilize prices, according to the Ministry.

Previously, Minister of Finance Ismail indicated this week that the government could allow imports from India to stabilize prices. But it is unlikely that the coalition government will allow such steps because of domestic political coercion.

According to several media reports, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in media talks showed the lack of interest in continuing trade with India due to the Kashmir problem.

Sharif apparently referred to the 2019 Indian decision to cancel the special status of Jammu and Kashmir who pushed Pakistan to stop trading with India and reduce diplomatic presence.

Main opposition party – Pakistan Tehreek -i -inaf – crashing into the government for allegedly trying to continue trading with India.

Fawad Chaudhry, Minister of Information at the PTI Government, wondered how the government could start trading with India ignoring the “cruelty” of the Kashmir people.

We will oppose such decisions and never allow trade under the pretext of flooding. The government must not betray the blood of the Kashmir people,” he tweeted.

Interestingly, PTI when in power has drifted the idea to continue trade with India and the minister has tried to highlight its benefits. Then the parties in the ruling coalition are currently against it.

The relationship between India and Pakistan is often tense about the problem of Kashmir and cross -border terrorism originating from Pakistan.

However, the ties between the two countries were removed after India canceled Article 370 of the constitution, revoked special status to Jammu and Kashmir and divided the two regions into two union areas on August 5, 2019.

India’s decision to generate a strong reaction from Pakistan, which decreases diplomatic bonds and expels Indian envoys. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “is, is and will forever” remain an integral part of the country.