ISLAMABAD – *Pakistan has declined to attend World Trade Organisationministerial meeting scheduled to be held in Delhi on March 19-20 overharassment caused to Pakistani diplomats in India.*
“Pakistani delegation will not go to India to attend the WTO moot, as thecountry gives precedence to its sovereignty,” the sources privy todiplomatic circle in Pakistan said announcing to pull out of the event.
Pakistan’s commerce minister Pervaiz Malik accepted the Indian invitation,but he will not attend now in protest over ten-day diplomatic escalationbetween India and Pakistan after the Pakistani diplomats and their familieswere harassed.
“It was Pakistan’s decision to pull out at the last minute, and the Indianside could not comment on it,” an Indian official was quoted as saying byNDTV.
The WTO is a multilateral forum for trade discussions.
On March 15, Pakistan called back its High Commissioner to India forconsultations in the wake of continuous harassment and bullying of itsofficials and their families in New Delhi.
“This deliberate bullying, which continues is not confined to a singleisolated event and continues unabated despite repeated official protestslodged with the Indian High Commission here, and also with the IndianMinistry of External Affairs at the highest,” said Foreign Office spokesmanDr Muhammad Faisal in a weekly media briefing.
He said that a strong protest was lodged with the Indian diplomats at themaltreatment being meted out to the officials and families of the PakistanHigh Commission in New Delhi.