The MFN status granted to India and the assortment of ‘hue and cry’ and ‘buoyant sanguinity’ that engulfs it, is one of those classic cases of looking at both the sides of a coin. In fact if one were to draw out the coin analogy, the MFN coin actually has a third façade – one that has a probability akin to a coin falling, and stationing itself perpendicular to the ground instead of the more customary ‘heads’ or ‘tails’ positions. That particular façade is the possibility that the MFN might turn out to be a catastrophe. Yes, anything related to activity from the eastern side of our neighbourhood nourishes the doubting Thomases in our neck of the woods; however, one cannot repudiate the fruits that the move promises to bear – terms and conditions do apply though.
Looking at the more conventional sides of the aforementioned coin; the ‘heads’ face – the positive side – is that it was a long overdue reciprocation since it promises to bolster our commerce and ameliorate our ties with, what must be acknowledged as, a growing economy. India had granted us the MFN status, all the way back in 1996 and they reiterated their desire for Pakistan to return the favour in the recently held round of trade talks in Mumbai, last month. The title “Most Favoured Nation” is a quasi misnomer, and it could mislead the Average Joe into perplexity. MFN status basically connotes that Pakistan would no longer discriminate India in the realm of trade and continue commercial interaction with India under the existing positives list of trade – something that Pakistan shares with over a hundred other nations. Pakistan and India are already indulging in indirect trade via Dubai – which posts huge trade volume numbers. Now these numbers would be posted as direct trade in the official reckoning, and in turn would result in India investing capital in Pakistan. Not only would this enhance the economies of the two respective nations, but the entire South Asia would undergo a massive boost and nations would begin to work in unison.
On the flipside, there is a genuine cause of scepticism as well. First and foremost, until and unless India removes the non tariff barriers and shelves its bias, the entire exercise is as useful as a leather jacket in a hot summer’s afternoon. Cooperating and letting go of the paranoia attached with each other’s maneuvers is something that is etched in the mentality of both sides of the Indo-Pak divide, but now with Islamabad making an accommodating statement of intent, New Delhi must exhibit an act of positive collaboration. India must reciprocate the reciprocation, so to speak.
However the ‘tails’ side – the aforementioned ‘flipside’ – has a denser copper to nickel ratio to throw the concepts of gravity and density into the mix. It is India after all; the butt of Pakistani qualm. APTMA have already flaunted their vociferous clamour regarding the concerns they have regarding the matter, and they would need to be satisfied and given reassurances. The historical antagonism due to the Kashmir issue and our geo-strategic interests has also been thrown into the cauldron as the debate promises to simmer on for a while.
Moving back to the third side of this intricate coin ; something that all the stakeholders and the ones stirring the cauldron must realise is the fact that the vehement demonstration of negativity is totally uncalled-for simply because if one restricts one’s thought to the domain of commerce the move promises to be a fresh dawn in Indo-Pak commercial ties. Nevertheless, sans New Delhi’s cooperation, the entire positivity surrounding the move might prove to be futile. All the same, the coin has been tossed and our government has called ‘heads’…
The writer is Sub Editor, Profit and can be reached at [email protected]
