Pakistan Has “Halted” The Import Of Indian Agricultural Commodities

Pakistani authorities "halted" the import of cotton and other agricultural commodities, including vegetables, from India via the Wagah border, it was reported on Saturday (26 November).

An official from the Department of Plant Protection has said the move came due to escalating tensions between the two countries after the killing of "three Pakistani soldiers and 10 civilians" on Wednesday (23 November), Dawn reported.

Cotton importers and customs clearing agents claimed that the department had stopped the import of agriculture commodities from India without a warning or written order.

Sahabzada Imran Shami, director general of the DPP, a subordinate department of the national food security and research ministry, however, sought to dispel the impression.

"We have stopped import of tomatoes and other fresh vegetables in order to protect our farmers. We have enough tomato and other vegetables stocks, which we import from India only in case of shortages in the domestic market," he told Dawn.

He added, "No. We have not stopped cotton imports from India. It has just been halted over reports that the Indian exporters are not meeting our bio-security conditions," Shami contended.

With inputs from IANS