Imran Khan could be under fire for decision to ban cotton imports from India

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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s move to abruptly do a u-turn after taking a decision relating to cotton imports from India could gradually backfire.</p>
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ANI quoting a report by freelance journalist FM Shakil said that Pakistan’s flip flop on allowing Indian cotton imports points to an unresolved struggle between civilian and military power centres.</p>
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The decision to ban cotton imports from India was reinstated by the Khan government within a day of allowing shipment.</p>
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"In order to overcome the scarcity of basic raw material, the government should allow the cross-border import of cotton yarn from India to ensure continuity in export growth," Muhammad Ahmad, Chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) had earlier said in a statement.</p>
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According to an article published by the Express Tribune in February, Pakistan’s cotton production has dropped 34 per cent. “The governments’ continuous negligence towards the major cash crop for several years and climate change has heavily affected the domestic economy. The situation led the textile sector (yarn manufacturers) to import cotton worth around $2 billion in this fiscal year,” it said.</p>
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India is the largest producer of cotton.</p>
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Since the Pulwama attack, relations between the two countries nosedived and all trade activities had come to a halt after India decided to revoke Article 370 which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir.</p>
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According to data, in 2018-19, Pakistan’s exports to India was just 2 per cent of its total exports. Similarly, only 3 per cent of its overall imports were sourced from India.</p>
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India’s imports and exports in relation to Pakistan was less than a per cent.</p>