Pak's flip flops on MFN to India

Pakistan has once again sent out confusing signals on granting MFN status to India, with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani telling lawmakers that a decision is “yet to be taken” on the issue for which bilateral negotiations would be held. Responding to points raised by lawmakers in the National Assembly or lower house of Parliament on Thursday, Gilani said the people and Parliament would be taken into confidence on the issue of giving MFN status to India. “The Cabinet unanimously gave permission to the commerce ministry that they should go and negotiate with India (on normalising trade relations),” he said. Noting that the commerce secretaries of the two countries had met in New Delhi, he said that a decision is yet to be made on the MFN issue. “Let the results come and we’ll apprise the whole country and take the Parliament into confidence. How can we take them into confidence prior to any decision? This decision is yet to be taken.” Information Minister Firdous Awan had recently announced at a news conference that the Cabinet had unanimously approved the granting of MFN status to India.