Pakistan 'unilaterally' blocked trade through land, but some on through air, sea routes: Govt

The government on Wednesday disclosed that while trade with Pakistan persists via air and sea channels, the neighboring country has “unilaterally” ceased all business via the land border. Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel emphasised in the Lok Sabha that Pakistan is obligated to permit the transit of Indian goods to Central Asian nations through its territory. Patel highlighted that previously, trade exclusively occurred via the Attari-Wagah border and Karachi port. “Now, no trade is being done through land route. But some trade is being done through sea and air,” PTI quoted Patel as saying. She added that the trade through sea and air routes with Pakistan is being done through the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Inland Container Depot, Tughlakabad, Mundra SEZ, Air Cargo Complex Mumbaiand Air Cargo Complex Hyderabad among others. On the possibility of trade with Central Asian countries, she said, “We have not stopped trade with Pakistan. With regard to trade with Central Asia, any of our trade transaction arrangement has to be through Pakistan. So, it is the responsibility of Pakistan to open the trade route”. Patel said the suspension of trade was “imposed unilaterally” by Pakistan, not by India. “So responsibility lies with Pakistan as transit will have to take place through their territory,” she added. In 2019, Pakistan suspended bilateral trade with India and expelled its High Commissioner in Islamabad after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment that is free from terror and hostility for such an engagement. With inputs from agencies