'Idea of removing certain items from negative list will strengthen Indo-Pak ties': Krishna

New Delhi, Mar 1 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Thursday welcomed Pakistan's move to grant Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, saying the idea of removing certain items from the negative list would certainly help in strengthening the bilateral relationship between the two Asian neighbours.

"I think Pakistan has been moving in the right direction in terms of bringing the economic content into the political relationship. And this was announced by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan immediately after the Cabinet of Pakistan took a decision of providing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India, and now, I think, they will follow up," said Krishna.

"We are hoping that by December of this year, I think, this will take a practical shape. We welcome this idea of removing certain items from the negative list and this would certainly help in strengthening our bilateral relationship. I would like to thank the Government of Pakistan for this," he added.

According to certain media reports, Pakistan had earlier on Wednesday moved closer to granting MFN status to India by switching to a system of 'negative lists' that will restrict the import of around 1,200 items from India, compared to the earlier regime, where only 1,900 products were permitted to be shipped across the border. (ANI)