MFN status should be scraped until Pak becomes democratic in true sense: Swamy

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking to review the Most Favoured Status (MFN) status bestowed to Pakistan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday urged the Centre to scrap the provision until Islamabad becomes truly democratic in its functions.

Swamy claimed that Pakistan is governed by its military and the ISI with civilian government reduced to zero, adding that such a country does not deserve to be bestowed with a MFN status.

"I am of the view that Most Favoured Nation Status should be suspended till Pakistan becomes a truly democratic country. But as of now with military in charge there, ISI in charge there, Taliban in charge there and civilian government being reduced to zero I think we should repeal the Most Favoured Nation status. I hope the Prime Minister and his cabinet will scrap this provision for the time being," said Swamy.

 

However, the meeting which was scheduled today to review the continuance of 'Most Favoured Nation' (MFN) status granted to Pakistan, has been postponed to next week.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was supposed to chair the meeting regarding the MFN status and related logistics.

Speculations are high that India is considering withdrawal of the MFN status to Pakistan in the wake of the Uri terror attack, in which 18 soldiers were killed, bringing ties between the two nations to an all time low.

The MFN status was accorded in 1996 as per India's commitments as a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

According to the MFN principle of the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) - to which India is a signatory/contracting party - each of the WTO member countries (including India and Pakistan in this case), should "treat all the other members equally as 'most-favoured' trading partners."

On the other hand, India continues its diplomatic warfare on Pakistan by boycotting the upcoming SAARC summit in November, which was backed by Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan, who also pulled out of the event.