India, Pakistan discussing transit route to Afghanistan: Singh
Pakistan Times Monitoring Desk

NEW DELHI (India): India is in touch with Pakistan on the issue of opening road route for transhipment of goods to Afghanistan through that country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Parliament on Thursday.

Nothing has been finalised as yet but the issue of a normal transit route through Pakistan, as a part of improvement in trade relations between the both countries, and getting the status of Most Favoured Nation for India were certainly on the agenda of the talks, he told Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.

In response to a query, Dr Manmohan Singh said the issue of transhipment of goods and material to Afghanistan via Pakistan has been discussed with Islamabad.

Most Favoured Nation

He said New Delhi has urged Islamabad to extend Most Favoured Nation status to India as part of efforts to improve economic relations but no conclusion has so far been reached.

“We have impressed upon Pakistan that normalisation of economic relations between the two countries must include extending of MFN status to India,” maintained the Prime Minister.

Earlier, responding to query of carrying out repairs and renovation of buildings in Afghanistan, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahmed told the house that work was on for construction of a road to enable movement of goods from India to Afghanistan via Iran, adding, “We are looking for short-cut routes.”●