The federal government of Pakistan has decided to resume trade with India. The government has also appointed Minister of Trade Qamar Zaman Kaira for the task.
The present government has also approved appointing trade officers and ministers in fifteen countries. The government of Pakistan under former Prime Minister Imran Khan had halted trade with India after it revoked the special status of Jammu Kashmir in 2019. The previous government had downgraded ties and stopped trade with India.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan had asked to stop the trade with India till the restoration of the special status of the IIOJK.
The decision is coming under intense scrutiny on social media. Most internet users are of the opinion that the government has compromised the interests of Pakistan and seems to have dashed the hopes of the people of Kashmir.
Sir Pakistan kneeled down and ready to restore trade ties with India..
Pakistan's another U-turn on #Kashmir!
India before being empathetic towards the rogue Nation must ensure that Pak will end terror infiltration and smuggling of weapons and drugs to J&K https://t.co/f7GSCZG4Ac
— Peerzada Azhar (@PeerzadaAzhar_) May 11, 2022
Renowned journalist and anchorperson Nasim Zehra also expressed her reservations about the decision. She said: “Any step taken by the @CMShehbaz-led government towards trade with India will not only be a sellout of the Kashmiris but also the beginning of a soft surrender to Indian hegemony,” in her tweet.
Any step taken by the @CMShehbaz-led government towards trade with India will not only be a sellout of the Kashmiris but also the beginning of a soft surrender to Indian hegemony. 1/2 https://t.co/pD8DMsgWbM
— Nasim Zehra (@NasimZehra) May 10, 2022
#Pakistan's U-Turn: #QamarZaman to Be Appointed as Trade Minister to Restore Ties with India.
Pakistan kneeled down within no time, forgetting it's words that there will be no trade with India till Article 370 restored!
An eye opener for Kashmiris👇@kakar_harsha @amritabhinder https://t.co/xX0CNfDsty
— Mudassir Kabir (@MudassirKabir96) May 11, 2022
The decision is being heavily discussed and mocked on Indian TV channels. Several Indian commentators believe that since Pakistan is grappling with economic issues it seems to surrender in front of India. Some of the major Indian media outlets are calling it a ‘Big u-turn of Pakistan’. While other Indian channels are calling it a compromise of Pakistan on its national interests.
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On the other hand, India continues to put restrictions on Pakistan. Last month, the Indian government announced that it had blocked several “Youtube news channels” and Facebook pages for spreading disinformation on subjects including national security, law and order, and India’s foreign relations.
According to the statement released by the government, out of those 16 channels, ten were from India, while six were from Pakistan. According to the statement released by the government, the channels were banned in view of the content disseminated by the platforms, which the Indian government deemed was promoting false information on matters related to “national security, India’s foreign relations, communal harmony in the country, and public order.”