The Economic Coordination Council of Pakistan on Wednesday lifted the ban on imports of cotton, sugar and yarn from India, announced the newly appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar. The decision was taken at the ECC meeting,  chaired by Finance Minister Azhar, which first gave a go-ahead to cotton and yarn import from India and then lifted the ban on sugar after a debate.

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The decision comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 23, delivering greetings on Pakistan’s 70th National Day wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan saying India desires amicable relations between the two countries. India and Pakistan have a long-standing hostility due to various issues ranging from trade and terror.

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Imran Khan replied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by thanking him for greetings on Pakistan Day and said, “The people of Pakistan also desire peaceful, cooperative relations with all neighbours including India.

The import go-ahead after a constructive dialogue between the two leaders marks an ice-breaking moment for the revival of suspended trade between the two neighbouring countries.

PM Modi on March 21, also took to Twitter to wish his Pakistani counterpart a speedy recovery after the latter disclosed he was tested positive for COVID-19.

The already soured relations between India and Pakistan further deteriorated after a terror attack on the Pathankot Air Force base in 2016 by certain Pakistan-based terror groups. The relations worsened after subsequent attacks of similar nature including one on an Indian Army base camp in Uri.