Flood-ravaged Pakistan will have to import from India : signalled Pakistan

Islamabad: Floods caused by heavy rains have devastated Pakistan. Floods are raging in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab, and so far, 1100 people are said to have lost their lives. Houses, shops, roads and bridges in many places have also been washed away in flood. The flood has devastated agriculture in Sindh and Balochistan. As a result, onions are currently being bought at Rs 400 per kg, while tomatoes have to be purchased at Rs 500 per kg in Pakistan. In such a situation, Pakistan has remembered India, and Pakistan’s Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has said that our country will have to import vegetables and other food grains from India.

While speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, Pakistan’s Finance Minister announced that vegetables and other items could be imported from India. Earlier too, Miftah Ismail and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto had hinted at trade with India. But, there are India haters in Pakistan who vehemently oppose this proposal.

But the current flood has made their condition worse. In such a situation, if not imported from India, the people of Pakistan may face hunger. Mainly, Pakistan has no other answer to the massive agricultural losses, the resulting scarcity and the flare in inflation. Only India can supply Pakistan with essentials in huge quantities. Realising this, the government of Pakistan seems to have openly started efforts for this.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of India has expressed deep grief over the floods in Pakistan. Expressing his condolences to the relatives of the flood victims, PM Modi has expressed his belief that the situation in Pakistan will soon return to normal. Though UAE and Turkey have assisted the Pakistani people, this will not solve Pakistan’s problems. Pakistan will have to face more dire issues in the future after the floods recede. For this, Pakistan has asked for international assistance.

In such a situation, the government of Pakistan is prepared to start importing essential items from India. However, the question of whether India will respond to Pakistan’s demand has been discussed on this occasion. After India withdrew Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which was then in power in Pakistan, withdrew from trade cooperation with India. Imran Khan had taken a drastic decision not to buy even vegetables, fruits and food grains from India. This government had also banned the import of Indian medicines. However, Imran Khan’s government decided to continue importing some medications as there was no other alternative. His decision cost Pakistan dearly. Due to this, many things were scarce in Pakistan, from vegetables and fruits to medicines. While this boycott was going on on the economic front, the Pakistan Cricket Board insisted that India play cricket with them. This was criticised in Pakistan, and the boycott’s validity was questioned. Nevertheless, the policy of the then government of Pakistan had not changed.

After the fall of Imran Khan’s government, a coalition government of opposition parties has come into power in Pakistan. While the economy is in shambles, this government is trying its best to bring Pakistan back on track. This government is fully aware that there is no other way to start trade with India. But politically, this decision could be costly for this government. The government fears that Imran Khan, currently the opposition leader, may use it to blame Pakistan’s government for being pro-India.

On the other hand, since the Pakistan army has not yet given up terrorist activities against India, India has also not shown any keenness to start negotiations and trade with Pakistan. However, after the floods in Pakistan, if the government of this country requests the import of essential commodities, the question can be asked on this occasion whether India will take the tough decision to refuse it. But before India decides on this, Pakistan will have to make an official demand from India. Although Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has given such a hint, he may withdraw his demand if there is a strong reaction from Pakistan. Earlier, it was also revealed that Pakistan had hinted at starting trade with India and then backed away from it. However, considering the crisis caused by the floods this time, not importing from India can be a factor affecting the future of Pakistan.