Just a day after Pakistan gave the nod to importing cotton and sugar from India, Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken a U-turn. According to Pakistani media, the federal cabinet has rejected the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) proposal to import cotton and sugar from New Delhi.
Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan said it was lifting the ban on their import from India imposed in the wake of heightened tension over Kashmir in 2019. The decision was taken at a meeting of the ECC, chaired by Finance Minister Hammad Azhar, who was appointed as finance minister by Imran Khan on Monday. Azhar said that the meeting discussed 21 items on the agenda, including the import of cotton and sugar from India, which it allowed after detailed discussions.
It was expected that the resumption of import of these goods will lead to a partial revival of bilateral trade relations, which were suspended after the August 5, 2019 decision of India to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
READ MORE: Pakistan finally relents, allows import of sugar, cotton from India after nearly 2 years