India withdraws 'Most Favoured Nation' status from Pakistan; Arun Jaitley says country must be cornered after Pulwama attack

The “most favoured nation” status that India had granted to Pakistan stands revoked in the light of the Jaish-e-Mohammad attack killing 40 CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after attending a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security on Friday morning. The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, also saw the presence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army chief General Bipin Rawat, reported News18. [caption id=“attachment_6091801” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman address the press conference after the CCS meeting. ANI[/caption] Jaitley held a press conference with Sitharaman after the meeting, where he announced that the Ministry of External Affairs will initiate all possible diplomatic steps to ensure the complete isolation of Pakistan from the international community. “Incontrovertible evidence is available of a direct hand in this gruesome terrorist incident. The MEA, in due course, will continue to keep you informed with regards to the steps it is taking (to ensure Pakistan’s isolation). The ‘most favoured nation’ status which had been granted to Pakistan stands withdrawn,” he said. Noting that the CCS assessed and discussed the terror attack (and observed two minutes of silence for the soldiers who had lost their lives), Jaitley, who assumed office once again on Friday said, “The CCS has also placed on record the deep gratitude of the nation to those who have laid down their lives and expressed its condolences to the bereaved families.” The Central Reserve Police Force, in which the martyred soldiers served, will make detailed arrangements to transport the bodies of the deceased to their families, informed Jaitley. “Some topics discussed in the meeting, usually not of the nature that can be disclosed, must be shared with you,” he said and then went on to announce the measure on Pakistan. “The MEA will also engage with the international community to make sure that the comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which has been pending for over three decades, particularly because of the definition of “terrorism” as it stands, is now adopted at the earliest,” he added. Jaitley also said Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be leaving for Srinagar with a team of officials on Friday. Upon his return, an all-party meeting will be held. “As far as our security forces are concerned, they will be taking all possible steps, first to ensure that full security is maintained and secondly to ensure that those who have committed this heinous act of terrorism and those who have supported it actively are made to pay a heavy cost for it,” Jaitley said. **_Follow LIVE updates of the aftermath of the Pulwama attack here_**