The impulsive decision-making on economic and regional trade issues marked the fragile nature of the country’s political economy last week as inflation surged to 9.01 per cent in March from 5.7pc in January. In one of the most mercurial moments, the federal cabinet rejected a decision of its Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) that had approved the revival of trade relations with India by allowing imports of sugar, cotton and cotton yarn through land and sea routes to address rising prices and shortages. This was surprising given the fact that the “prime minister in his capacity as minister-in-charge for commerce has seen and authorised the submission of the summary to the ECC of the cabinet after adding criteria for (the) allocation of quota to commercial importers”.