current affairs MCQ #12523

A Pakistani foreign minister proposes reopening trade through the Wagah-Attari border crossing to reduce economic isolation. A security-focused adviser objects, arguing trade normalizes the status quo on Kashmir. The minister's best counter-argument is?

current affairs MCQ #12523

  1. Question 1

    Q1. A Pakistani foreign minister proposes reopening trade through the Wagah-Attari border crossing to reduce economic isolation. A security-focused adviser objects, arguing trade normalizes the status quo on Kashmir. The minister's best counter-argument is?

    • A) Trade normalization was explicitly conditioned on Kashmir resolution under the SAARC Social Charter
    • B) Economic interdependence historically reduces the incentive for conflict and creates constituencies for peace in both countries, making trade a strategic tool rather than a concession on Kashmir
    • C) India has already agreed to trade normalization in exchange for Pakistan dropping the Kashmir issue at the UN
    • D) The World Trade Organization's dispute resolution mechanism requires Pakistan and India to normalize trade before any political talks

    Answer: Economic interdependence historically reduces the incentive for conflict and creates constituencies for peace in both countries, making trade a strategic tool rather than a concession on Kashmir

    Explanation: Economic interdependence creates mutual stakes in stability; businesses, traders, and consumers on both sides develop constituencies that resist conflict escalation — a logic rooted in liberal peace theory and supported by historical evidence from Europe and Southeast Asia.