Just when you think that Pakistan couldn’t stop below and embarrass itself further, the Islamic country surprises you with its illogical flip-flops. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan who also acts as the Commerce Minister of the country, had earlier allowed the import of cotton and sugar from India which his government had banned after India moved to abrogate Article 370, However, Imran Khan in his position as the Prime Minister, did a U-turn and rejected the proposal of allowing the import of cotton and sugar from India. In this bizarre episode, the people of Pakistan have ended up as the losers as the country desperately years for the imports of sugar and cotton.
Recently, Pakistan partially reversed its two-year old decision to suspend all trade with India as the country announced that it would allow the import of cotton and sugar from across the border. However, Imran Khan has now done a complete U-turn and has scrapped his earlier decision.
However, this constant flip-flops will end up harming Pakistan as the cash-strapped country is in desperate need for cotton and sugar imports – something which India can easily provide.
Earlier, Pakistan’s newly appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar accepted that the country was forced to allow imports of cotton and sugar from India in light of rising prices and Pakistani industry’s need for the specific products as he stated that there was a high demand from cotton and cotton yarn from India.
“We have allowed the import of sugar, but in the rest of the world too, sugar prices are high because of which imports are not possible. But in our neighbouring country — India — the prices of sugar are much less as compared to Pakistan, so we have decided to reopen sugar trade with India up to 0.5 million tonnes for the private sector,” said Azhar.
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He added, “The price of the commodity in India is lower than what it is in Pakistan. The import of cotton and yarn through the Wagah border will help meet domestic requirements at reasonable rates.”
It is pertinent to note that Pakistan’s earlier decision to allow the import of sugar came after the country failed to get a good response to its two 50,000 tonnes global tender to buy sugar with sellers quoting over $500 a tonne (Rs. 36,600).
Despite this, Imran Khan has gone ahead and reversed his earlier decision which has now left the country’s textile sector disappointed with Imran Khan govt’s u-turn on Indian cotton imports.
The sector has been constantly demanding that the cotton imports from India be allowed in order to control the spiralling prices of cotton yarn as the commodity’s availability is low while the demand continues to be high in Pakistan.
Imran Khan’s continued flip-flop on imports from India is leading Pakistan to a slow and sugarless death.