Srinagar

India on Friday withdrew the Most Favoured Nation (MNF) status accorded to Pakistan a day after 45 CRPF personnel were killed in Lethpora attack.

According to reports Union Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has decided to take all possible diplomatic steps to ensure Pakistan’s global isolation and that India has withdrawn Most Favoured Nation status to the country.

Speaking to the media outside the Prime Minister’s residence, Jaitley said “The MEA will initiate all possible diplomatic steps which have to be taken to ensure complete isolation against Pakistan for having a direct hand in the incident. The ministry of commerce will take the necessary steps to withdraw most favoured nation status given to Pakistan.”

“India will consult with all nations to implement it and engage with the international community to ensure measures against terrorism are now adopted at the earliest,” reports quoted Jaitley as having said.

Under the MFN status, a WTO member country is obliged to treat other trading nations in a non-discriminatory manner, especially with regard to customs duty and other levies.

India first granted MFN status to Pakistan in 1996, a year after the World Trade Organisation was formed. Pakistan still hasn’t granted India with MFN status and it maintains a negative list of 1,209 items which are not permitted to be imported from India.

The government will convene an all-party meeting on Saturday, reports quoted Jaitley as having said.

At least 45 CRPF personnel were killed and several others were injured in the Pulwama Lethpora attack on Thursday.

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