Pakistan suspends trade with India, expels envoy

The move from Islamabad came after Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a high-level National Security Council (NSC) meeting comprising the country’s civil and military leadership.

The NSC decided to suspend trade with India and downgrade diplomatic ties. Pakistan officially asked New Delhi to withdraw its High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria from Islamabad.

Hence, Pakistan will also not send its envoy Moinul Haq to India. Haq was supposed to begin his diplomatic duties in India from August 16.

The NSC decided to ban trade with India which stands at $2 billion. It yet remains to be seen which country the ban will have a larger effect on.

The move comes a day after the joint session of the parliament condemned India’s action to illegal annex the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

On Monday, Indian home minister Amit Shah tabled a resolution seeking revocation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution. Article 370 granted the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir special recognition status due to which only residents of the area could buy property there.

The United Nations asked Pakistan and India to both respect each other’s sovereignty and refrain from escalating tensions.
Pakistan rejected India’s unilateral decision and called on the international community to keep a check on India.

Meanwhile, curfew-like restrictions were imposed in the disputed territory as phone and internet connections were suspended.

Former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were placed under house arrest.