India-Pak bilateral relations likely to worsen in coming days

New Delhi, Feb 15: A day after ghastly Pulwama attack, the bilateral relation between India and Pakistan touched a new low on Friday.

Its notable that a convoy of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was attacked by a suicide bomber on Jammu- Srinagar highway in Pulwama on Thursday in which 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives.

Since Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has taken the responsibility of the attack, Islamabad faced New Delhis ire.

In the morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security to finalise Indias strategy post Pulwama attack.

Generally, government of the day doesnt brief media after such crucial security meeting, but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed media persons.

He made an important announcement when he said that India has withdrawn the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan.

The Most Favoured Nation clause is the first clause in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) by the World Trade Organisation (WTO). It is a treatment accorded by one state to another to ensure non-discriminatory trade practices between the two countries vis-à-vis other trade partners.

Now, Pakistan stands to lose concessions on tariff, freer markets and a free flow of goods that come with the MFN status.

Thereafter, Prime Minister told the nation that the government understands the anger of the countrymen and hence the security forces have been given a free hand to safeguard countrys interests.

"The security forces have been given a free hand in the wake of the Pulwama attack. The forces behind this act of terrorism and those responsible for it will be definitely be punished," he said at the inauguration of the Vande Bharat Express in New Delhi.

Later, he reiterated the same statement while addressing a rally in Uttar Pradeshs Jhansi. PM Modi also said that Pakistan must know that this is new India.

India also appealed to the United Nations (UN) to declare JeM chief Masood Azhar a globally designated terrorist, but as usual China saved Azhar.

New Delhi has also called Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria to Delhi for consultations in the wake of Pulwama attack.

Its notable that just a day before the Pulwama attack, the US government on Wednesday had issued an advisory and urged its citizens to reconsider their travel to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir because of "terrorism and the potential for armed conflict" between India and Pakistan.

Prime Minister Modi also told Jhansi rally that the government has given freedom to the Indian security forces to decide day, time and nature of the reply of Pulwama attack.

All above developments indicate that the bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad are likely to worsen in the coming days.