Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has once again hinted at allowing import of food items from arch-rival India, saying that more than one international agency has sought approval to bring food items from the neighbouring country through land border. In a message from his Twitter handle, Miftah Ismail said that more than one international agency have approached the government to allow them to bring food items from India through the land border for flood affectees. “The [government] will take the decision to allow imports or not based on supply shortage position, after consulting its coalition partners [and] key stakeholders,” he said. On Monday, Ismail has hinted at importing vegetables and other edible items from India after recent floods destroyed crops across the country.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Miftah Ismail said that the government can consider importing vegetables and other edible items from India to facilitate people in wake of the destruction of standing crops in Pakistan due to recent floods. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic and trade relations with India in reaction to New Delhi’s illegal annexation of Occupied Kashmir. On August 5, India’s BJP government moved a bill in the upper house of the parliament (Rajaya Sabha) to remove Article 370 from the Indian constitution amid opposition members’ protest. It was later signed by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, stripping the state of Kashmir off its special status and turning it into a Union Territory with the legislature.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP