India Withdraws ‘Most Favoured Nation’ Status from Pakistan

In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, Arun Jaitley said the MEA will go all-out to isolate Pakistan.

A Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) was held on Friday morning to discuss the security scenario in the Valley in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.

(Photo: ANI)

India on Friday, 15 February, withdrew the ‘Most-Favoured Nation’ status to Pakistan following the suicide bombing terror attack in Pulwama’s Awantipora on Thursday that left at least 40 CRPF personnel dead and several others injured.

Speaking to the media after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) that was held on Friday morning to discuss the security scenario in the Valley in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, Union minister Arun Jaitley said the Ministry of External Affairs will go all-out to isolate Pakistan.

“MEA will initiate all possible diplomatic steps which are to be taken to ensure the complete isolation from the international community of Pakistan of which incontrovertible evidence is available of having a direct hand in this act,” Jaitley said.

“The ‘most favoured nation’ status which was granted to Pakistan, stands withdrawn,” he added.

‘Most Favoured Nation’ status means non-discriminatory trade policy – it means Pakistan had been granted the same trade privileges as any other nation favoured by India. India had extended this status to Pakistan as a WTO member.

Speaking from outside the Prime Minister’s residence, Jaitley said all efforts will be made to make sure that people behind the attack are punished.

“People who are responsible and have supported this act of terrorism will have to pay a heavy price for it,” he told the media.

He also said that India will press for an early adoption of a draft convention on international terrorism pending with the United Nation since 1986.

Jaitley said that India had tabled the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism in the United Nations in 1986, reported PTI.

"But for the past 33 years, it has not been implemented because there is no unanimity on the definition of terrorism," he added.

The senior minister said New Delhi will consult all countries to implement it and engage with them for early adoption of the anti-terror measure.

Decisions taken at the CCS:

• ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status withdrawn from Pakistan
• Diplomatic steps to be taken to ensure Pakistan’s complete isolation from the international community
• Early adoption of anti-terror measure.

Besides the Prime Minister, the CCS comprises the Finance Minister, the Defence Minister, Home Minister and Minister for External Affairs.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was part of the meeting, is scheduled to leave for Srinagar and is likely to convene an all-party meeting on Saturday to brief political parties on the incident, reported PTI. He will also be holding review meetings with senior security and police officials and will assess ground-level operations.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)