Pakistan suspends trade with India, expels Indian envoy

The Imran Khan-led Pakistan government has expelled the Indian envoy and suspended trade with India over the Kashmir (Article 370 revocation) issue, said AFP News Agency quoting the Pakistan government.

According to reports, Pakistan sources have said that the Government of Pakistan would not send its High Commissioner-designate to India who was to take charge later this month and Pakistan may also ask the Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria to leave Pakistan.

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“We will call back our ambassador from Delhi and send back their envoy,” AFP quoted foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi as saying.

Earlier on Wednesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired the Pakistan National Security Council (NSC) which decided to downgrade diplomatic ties with India and suspend bilateral trade.

The National Security Council decided the following:

• Downgrading of diplomatic relations with India
• Suspension of bilateral trade with India
• Review of bilateral arrangements
• Matter to be taken to the UN, including the Security Council
• 14th of August to be observed in solidarity with brave Kashmiris

Imran Khan had summoned a second session of the National Security Committee (NSC) within a week after the Indian government’s move to scrap special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The development comes a day after the Indian Parliament had passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill 2019 to abolish article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating it into two Union territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Imran Khan had on Tuesday said that “incidents like Pulwama are bound to happen again” if abrogation of Article 370 and a similar approach is adopted. Khan made this statement while reacting sharply to the abrogation Article 370 by the Indian government on Monday which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

“I can already predict this will happen. They will attempt to place the blame on us again. They may strike us again, and we will strike back,” said Khan while addressing the Parliament on Tuesday.

(With agency inputs)