Pakistan Denies Willingness to Resume India-Afghan Trade Route Using its Land

It is now confirmed once again Pakistan will not allow its territory in the India-Afghanistan trade route. The country has denied all such media reports and the leaders have not expressed readiness to talk on it.

According to Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Pakistan has not approached US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass with willingness to re-establish trade between two neighboring countries by using its land.

Indian media report lately quoted Bass citing he was approached by Pakistan earlier this year to start talk in the matter.

A media report quoted the minister saying, “Pakistan has not agreed to consider Afghanistan-India trade through our land.”

Pakistan bars India and Afghanistan from using its trade in their trade route arguing some technical and strategic issues connected to it first need to be solved.

Indian media quoted Bass saying, “A couple of months ago, for the first time the Pakistani government expressed a willingness to start talks with its Afghan counterparts for parameters to enabling trade between India and Afghanistan through Pakistan.”

It is learned the ambassador had said Pakistan’s long-term interest is a political settlement in Afghanistan.

Bass added, “Increased trade in both directions, increased connectivity through central and south Asia through Afghanistan – those are all missed opportunities if Pakistan has its sole focus on perpetuating the status quo.”

He further mentioned that companies from India had been investing heavily in the growth and development of Afghanistan seeking increased trade as well as connectivity through Central and South Asia through Afghanistan. These seems to be missed opportunities.