Pakistan pulls out of WTO meeting in New Delhi

Pakistan PM Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi

Pakistan has decided to stay away from the World Trade Organisation meet in New Delhi next week in protest against alleged harassment of its diplomats in India. India last month invited Pakistan Commerce Minister Pervez Malik to participate in the informal WTO ministerial meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on March 19-20 and Islamabad had initially accepted the invitation.

Sources in the foreign ministry said the situation has changed after "repeated harassment of families of diplomats" and it was decided to skip the invitation.

"We cannot send our commerce minister to India in the current situation and India has been informed about it," according to a source. He said India should also stop the alleged violations of the ceasefire on the Line of Control that led to death of civilians and also stop "atrocities" in Kashmir.

50 No. of nations invited by India for the meeting

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