Pakistan and India trade relations

E-Paper | June 14, 2026

A SINGLE Line of Control adventure buried the hard-earned friendship with our neighbours.

War of words is now on and in the process the Indian prime minister cancelled all the trade pacts, and also withdrew the visa incentives offered after a series of negotiations.

Without dragging the uniformed personnel, let us look into the overall foreign policy of Pakistan. China in 2012 entered into a $2 billion cross-border trade agreement with India. The German and Korean auto industries are moving their plants into India in search of cheaper labour.

Walmart is opening 10,000 stores in India during the next five years.

These are just a few of the achievements of a successful foreign policy.

It is almost six-and-a-half decades and still our relations with India are like that of Palestine and Israel.

The uniformed people and occasional democratic governments are equally responsible for this state of affairs. War with India is no solution and we have no clear foreign policy to follow since it is always dictated by donors.

Since beggars can’t be choosers, our failed foreign policy will continue, glamour or no glamour.

MOHAMMAD IQBAL Karachi

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gary

Jan 29, 2013 12:38pm

War with India is no solution............ Jio mera lal

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george

Jan 29, 2013 12:34pm

A SINGLE Line of Control adventure buried the hard-earned friendship with our neighbours......... there was no friendship, and there will never be one in the next hundred years, only necessity which does not know any rules. For Indians, their goods will find the way to Pakistan as they are cheaper and better, otherwise Pakistanis would not buy them. Indian medicines are cheaper, hindi films make the ladies from Karachi to Khyber Pass cry and laugh at the same time, and Pakistani bahus take hints how to fight their Saas without insulting them. Yeh Dil mange Mor....

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NORI

Jan 29, 2013 12:12pm

Pakistan will regret its present actions because it's so close geographically and culturally to a huge Indian market and they are unable to take any advantage of it. I was reading a business case on Honda's business in US in early 1950s. One of the Honda managers, who surveyed US market for business opportunities in 1953 (I think), made a comment in his report to company. "I don't understand why Japan went to war with this country (US) that offers such a huge and diverse market to our products". I am sure some Pakistani manager will ask the same question or asking it. Today's world runs on business and trade, not on religion. Countries are judged on the basis of economic wealth. If Pakistan wants to hang on with religion, it is in 1800s and the situation in the country reflects that time. If India and China (India believes that China occupied Indian area greater than Kashmir) can move along and Pakistan has no objections to work with Bangladesh, what's the problem with India ? What did Pakistan achieve by being aggressive to India ?

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Gary

Jan 29, 2013 04:54pm

War with India is no solution........ Good.

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deo

Jan 29, 2013 05:22pm

Well said. When will India and Pakistan learn to talk as friends? Since 1947 what the so called great leaders of these two countries achieved is nothing , nothing, and absolutely nothing. These are among the poorest, most corrupt, and the dirties countries in world. The people of India and Pakistan need to think properly and question policies of the past. I see no other solution.

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Rocky

Jan 29, 2013 05:57pm

If Pakistan keeps its jihadism in check, trade with India is a good to to build mutual economic equity. India, on its part needs to ignore Pakistani pin pricks and act like a true regional power.

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vjjjjjjjjjjj

Jan 29, 2013 06:57pm

"A SINGLE" Line of Control adventure buried the hard-earned friendship with our neighbours. Looks like in Pakistan 2-3 deaths is not a issue.

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HNY2013

Jan 29, 2013 07:16pm

What did you eat for dinner sir?

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Indian

Jan 30, 2013 04:29am

Sole existence of some of the power centers in Pakistan thrives on animosity with India. ?In the past, cross-firing at the LoC was a routine matter but this time around the Indian reaction has been so strong" says Shaharyar Khan ex, chief of PCB and ex secretary of Pakistan foreign affairs. I want the common Pakistanis to justify friendship with a gun to your head. As I see it; It is 99% animosity and 1% opportunistic friendship.

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marki

Jan 29, 2013 11:28pm

Getting wiser brathren.....

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