Context
The Pakistan cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal which grants India status of “most favored nation”. Information minister Firdous Ashiq Awan told reporters; “the federal cabinet has unanimously approved India as the most favored nation.”
The move is an effort to improve the relations between the two countries, and to increase economic benefits to both India and Pakistan. Awan however acknowledged that some cabinet ministers had opposed the status due to the dispute between the countries over Kashmir.
Pakistan has already conferred the status of “most favored nation” to a hundred countries. The inclusion of India is likely to improve bilateral trade relations. India and Pakistan in September agreed increase trade from $2 to $6 billion with in three years, to set up a second trade border post and to facilitate business visa for each other’s citizens.
