Taking a belligerent move just a day after its 44 soldiers were killed in Indian Occupied Kashmir, New Delhi has withdrawn the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Status for Pakistan.
The decision to withdraw the MFN Status for Pakistan granted in 1996 was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held in New Delhi on Friday with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Chair.
The move was taken as a “diplomatic measure to ensure the global isolation of Pakistan,” as earlier indicated by the Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in a tweet.
The Ministry of External Affairs will initiate all diplomatic measures to ensure the global isolation of Pakistan. #Pulwama
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) February 15, 2019
Meanwhile talking to media after the CCS meeting, Arun Jaitley said, “The most favoured nation status granted to Pakistan stands withdrawn.”
The Indian reaction was triggered by a suicide blast which struck a Convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPC) on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway in Pulwama District of Indian Occupied Kashmir, killing at least 44 soldiers.
Soon after the attack on CRPC Convoy, the Indian government as well as media hurled accusations against Pakistan for backing Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), an extremist group, which allegedly carried out the attack.
In the meantime, Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood was summoned in New Delhi, to whom a strong protest was lodged by the Indian government over the Pulwama attack.
The Foreign Office in Islamabad expressed grave concern on the attack in Pulwama area of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, but also strongly rejected the insinuation by elements in the Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations.
Attack in Pulwama in IoK is a matter of grave concern.We have always condemned heightened acts of violence in Valley. We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in Indian government and media circles that seek to link the attack to State of Pakistan without investigations.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@ForeignOfficePk) February 14, 2019
On the other hand, the former Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah while talking to Indian TV Channel ABP News also lambasted the government in New Delhi for blaming Pakistan for Pulwama attack.
Omar Abdullah said that New Delhi must now understand that use of force won’t work anymore in Jammu and Kashmir, and it must negotiate with Kashmiris and remove their grievances.
“Don’t blame only Pakistan because local people are joining Kashmiri militants gun is not the solution talk to them”ex CM of J & K Farooq Abdullah tried to share the ground reality with ABP reporter but she was determined to blame Pakistan and finally Farooq Abdullah walked out pic.twitter.com/MHGIlVXRt2
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) February 15, 2019
