Hitting back at a resolution passed in the Pakistan National Assembly condemning the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, India has called off the hockey series to be played with Pakistan in April. The series, which was scheduled to be held in India from April 5, has been cancelled after Hockey India received directions from the ministry of external affairs on Friday to do so in light of the strained ties between the two countries in the recent times. However, earlier this month, external affairs minister had hosted lunch for Pakistan PM Raja Pervez Ashraf, who had come to India on a ‘private’ visit to pay his respects at the Ajmer Sharif dargah. The minister maintained that it was an informal affair and that no strategic matters were taken up.

Further, the Indian commerce ministry on Thursday exuded confidence that Pakistan will grant the most favoured nation (MFN) status to India by June/July, a decision which the Pakistani authorities have been postponing since December last year. Is India’s decision to scrap the hockey series with Pakistan merely an eyewash?