Pakistan industry body warns it may suspend trade with India

Islamabad: A leading Pakistani trade body on Friday warned it may suspend trade with India, citing the "current hostile conditions".

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) president Abdul Rauf Alam said there was no compulsion to continue trade ties with India, the Dawn reported.

"Pakistan had no compulsions of any sort to continue business and trade relations with India under the current hostile conditions," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

He further said that the entire Pakistani business community was united to take any decision, and given the tense situation in the region, it was not possible to continue trade relations with India.

He pointed out the role of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and said that it left them with no choice but to promote trade relations with ECO (Economic Cooperation Organisation) and D-8 (Developing-8) countries.

It is the first time that a major Pakistani business body issued a statement about snapping trade links with India due to border tensions.

Already the cultural and political ties have suffered due to acrimony following the death of a Kashmiri militant leader as well as the Uri terror attack.