ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has not decided yet to attend the World Trade Organisation (WTO)'s mini-ministerial that is being hosted by India in New Delhi next month.

"Commerce Minister Pervaiz Malik, has been invited to attend the mini-ministerial. However, it has yet not been decided if he will be able to attend the meeting," said Muhammad Ashraf spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce on Monday.

An informal WTO mini-ministerial is being hosted by India in New Delhi on 19-20 March 2018.

The ministry has ruled out the speculations of the Indian's media that Pakistan's minister has accepted the Indian's invitation to attend the meeting. "The decision of the minister's visit to India will be taken in next few days," said another official of the ministry.

He further said that both countries had not held any trade negotiations since March 2014 when an understanding was approached on the future trade mechanism based upon the agreement reached in 2012.

However, trade between two countries is continuing through Karachi, Wagha and the Line of Control routes despite strain in the relationship between Pakistan and India.

An informal mini-ministerial WTO meeting for representatives of around 40 countries would likely to discuss the ways to increase global trade. The meeting would also decide the contours of the next ministerial meeting of the WTO to be held in 2019.

The WTO trade ministries from both rich and developing economies would also seek to revitalize the multi-lateral trade body. The meeting would discuss the challenges being faced by the multilateral organization.

India has also invited ministers from the US, European Union, Australia, China, New Zealand and several African countries.

According to the media reports, the meeting also assumed significance as nations are forming groupings to prepare ground for pushing new issues such as investment facilitation, preparing rules for e- commerce, promoting gender equality and reducing subsidy on fisheries.