Islamabad, May 26: Notwithstanding the hardline stance of its commerce minister linking the improvement of trade relations with India to the resolution of the Kashmir issue, Pakistan government has called an inter-ministerial meeting here today to discuss the issue of granting Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India. The meeting, to be attended by senior officials from the ministries of defence, railways, sports, culture, interior, foreign office and commerce will discuss the possible resumption of dialogue between the two countries on trade related issues, reports quoted an official as saying.

"It would discuss resumption of air, train, bus services and sport ties between the two countries as well as proposal for further enhancement in these areas," the official was quoted as saying by local daily 'Dawn'.


However, the "main task of the meeting would be to discuss pros and cons of possible extension of the MFN status to India and its likely implications on Pakistan's economy," he said.
The report follows assertions by commerce minister Humayun Akhtar two days ago that Pakistan was not for improvement of trade relations with India unless the proposed peace talks between the two countries made progress on critical issues like Kashmir.


Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had early this month announced that his government has cleared 78 items for tariff concessions to India under South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangement (SAPTA) as a confidence building measure.
Bureau Report