The federal cabinet rubberstamped an agreement by the Commerce Minister, Senior Minister Makhdum Amin Fahim, to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India. The MFN status was supposed to be linked to parliamentary approval. While briefing the press about the cabinet meeting, Information Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan stated that the issue had been discussed in detail and the issue most exercising the members of the cabinet was that of Kashmir. This statement apparently reveals that MFN status is being granted at Indian behest, against the reservations of the cabinet and despite the fact that Kashmiri brothers continue to be denied the right of self-determination through a mechanism agreed to by the international community (including India itself) of a UN-supervised plebiscite. The federal cabinets approval does not change the fact that MFN status would only benefit India, allowing it to increase its trade surplus with Pakistan, which ran at a billion dollars last year. It should also not be forgotten that India has erected a variety of non-tariff barriers against imports and practices an old-fashioned, but vigorous mercantilism that seeks to maximise its trade surplus, by any means available. The PML-N MNA Khurram Dastagir, the Chairman of the National Assemblys Standing Committee on Commerce, pointed out that his committee was not taken on board and hinted at the real reason for a decision so obviously against the national interest. His reference was towards the intervention of foreign interlocutors, such as the USA which are of the view that dialogue with India will be good for peace between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. This, despite the fact that the dialogue process has seen a wealth of evidence of Indian intransigence and a refusal to negotiate; it has shown just a single-minded pursuit of its own interests. Other political parties have reacted negatively to the idea, as have trade bodies. MFN status for India is an undeservedly advanced idea, and unless it vacates its illegal occupation of Kashmir, Pakistan should, on principle and by the dictates of honour, not grant it. Indeed, even now, the cabinet is unhappy with the decision. It has hinted at the mechanism to overrule the Commerce Minister. However, the present dispensations unquenchable desire to please has apparently reached the point where it will readily fall in with plans to establish Indian hegemony in the region, as evidenced by decision-making such as this.