Pahalgam Tensions: Hours after New Delhi announced on Saturday that vessels flying the Pakistani flag would be barred from docking at Indian ports, Pakistan responded by banning Indian-flagged ships from accessing its ports. The move followed the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
Islamabad also barred Pakistani flag carriers from visiting any Indian port.
“In view of the recent development of maritime situation with neighbouring country, Pakistan in order to safeguard maritime sovereignty, economic interest and national security enforces following measures with immediate effect: Indian flag carriers shall not be allowed to visit any Pakistani port, Pakistani flag carriers shall not visit any Indian port [and] any exemption or dispensation shall be examined and decided on case to case basis,” Dawn quoted an order from Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs’ Ports and Shipping Wing.
India’s Punitive Measures Against Pakistan
India announced a series of punitive measures against the neighbouring country, including a ban on the import of goods from Pakistan.
“Direct or indirect Import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, whether or not freely importable or otherwise permitted, shall be prohibited with immediate effect,” the Ministry of Commerce and Industry had said in a statement.
In another move, as per a notice from the Ministry of Communications, the government of India suspended the exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes.
After the terror attack of April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India downgraded its diplomatic ties with Pakistan and suspended the Indus Water Treaty of 1960.
According to reports, on Saturday, Pakistan also carried out a test launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile, which has a range of 450 kilometres.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) dismissed a jawan from service for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and “knowingly harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa”, as per ANI.