Pakistan formally suspends trade ties with India
Islamabad: Pakistan has formally suspended its trade relations with India after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
On Friday, the federal cabinet headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan endorsed the decisions taken by the National Security Committee and the joint session of parliament, which include suspension of trade ties with India, the Dawn reported.
Trade relations between the two neighbours were already strained following the Pulwama terror attack as India imposed 200 per cent customs duty on all goods imported from the neighbouring nation.
Imports from Pakistan declined by 92 per cent to USD 2.84 million in March this year compared to USD 34.61 million in March 2018, according to the commerce ministry data. During January-March period of 2018-19 fiscal, imports from Pakistan declined by 47 per cent to USD 53.65 million.
Two notifications were issued soon after the cabinet meeting to implement the decision to suspend bilateral trade with India with immediate effect and until further orders, the report said.
One notification suspends all kind of exports to India, while the other banned import of goods of Indian origin or those imported from it. Earlier, this ban was only limited to imports from Israel with which Pakistan has no trade ties at all.
Pakistan's imports have already entered negative growth with almost all countries, except India, as Islamabad mostly imports raw materials from India, the report said.
According to a data of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), the total exports from India to Pakistan in the financial year 2018-2019 was around USD 2 billion. The major items exported by India include chemical products and textiles among others, and the imported items include mineral products and vegetable items.
On Monday, India revoked Article 370 to withdraw the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
In reaction to India's move, Pakistan on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic ties with India by expelling Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria and announced that it would also suspend trade relations with New Delhi.
India has said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India and the issue was strictly internal to the country.
Pakistan has also suspended import of Indian goods under the Pak-Afghan transit treaty, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan told a media briefing on Friday.
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HK Dua, who helmed three of India's top dailies, passes away
New Delhi (PTI): HK Dua, a distinguished journalist and a veteran of Indian public life who held the rare distinction of helming editorial operations at three of India's leading newspapers, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 88.
He breathed his last peacefully this afternoon at a private hospital, a member of his family said.
His cremation will take place at Lodhi Road crematorium on Thursday.
Dua was admitted to the hospital around three weeks ago. He was survived by wife Adity and son Prashant.
In a remarkable career spanning over four decades, Dua traversed the world of journalism, served as a media advisor to two prime ministers -- Atal Behari Vajpayee and HD Deve Gowda -- and transitioned into the roles of a diplomat and parliamentarian.
A Padma Bhushan recipient, Dua was known for his affable persona, sharp political insight and unwavering commitment to editorial independence. He commanded respect across the political spectrum.
Dua served as editor of The Hindustan Times (1987-94), Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express (1994-96) and The Tribune (2003-09) and Editorial Advisor for The Times of India (1997-98).
Born on July 1, 1937, Dua also served as India's ambassador to Denmark (2001-2003).
He was a nominated member of Rajya Sabha (2009-2015), where he contributed significantly to debates on foreign affairs and national security. He was also part of several high-profile parliamentary committees, including the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
A two-term president of the Editors' Guild of India and a steadfast defender of democratic values, Dua also served on the National Security Advisory Board and received honorary doctorates from Punjab and Kurukshetra Universities for his contributions to the Fourth Estate.
Apart from the Padma Bhushan, he received several awards, including the Durga Ratan award and the Bal Gangadhar Tilak award for excellence in journalism.
Leaders across the political spectrum and members of the media fraternity expressed condolences over Dua's demise.
"My deepest condolences on the passing of H K Dua, a distinguished journalist, diplomat, and Padma Bhushan recipient whose commitment to truth, editorial independence, and public service enriched public discourse," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on social media.
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal said Dua upheld editorial independence with unwavering integrity, sharp insight, and commitment to democratic values.
"His contributions as a journalist and an editor across leading newspapers leave behind an enduring legacy," he said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said: "A journalistic giant has left us."
