Pakistan closes its ports for Indian ships in retaliatory transfer towards New Delhi

Pakistan has banned Indian flag carriers from utilizing its ports, following New Delhi’s imposition of latest punitive measures, together with, a ban on the import of products from or transiting by Pakistan and the exclusion of Pakistani ships from Indian ports.

It’s pertinent to say that India on Saturday imposed a ban on the import of products coming from or transiting by Pakistan and in addition the entry of Pakistani ships into its ports at the same time as Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated the nation is dedicated to take ‘agency and decisive’ motion towards terrorists and their backers.

The choice was made amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after the terrorist assault in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. Because the April 22 assault, India has taken a number of stringent measures towards Pakistan, together with the revocation of visas for Pakistani nationals, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and different diplomatic steps. 

What did Pakistan say in its order?

Pakistan late Saturday ordered that any “Indian flag carriers shall not be allowed to go to any Pakistani port”, Daybreak, a Pakistani newspaper, reported.

“In view of the current improvement of maritime state of affairs with neighbouring nation, Pakistan with a purpose to safeguard maritime sovereignty, financial curiosity and nationwide safety enforces following measures with speedy impact: Indian flag carriers shall not be allowed to go to any Pakistani port, Pakistani flag carriers shall not go to any Indian port (and) any exemption or dispensation shall be examined and selected case to case foundation,” the newspaper reported.

The Daybreak newspaper had quoted an order issued late Saturday by Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs’ Ports and Transport Wing.

India-Pakistan ties

Relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated following the lethal Pahalgam terror assault on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 folks, principally vacationers.

In response to heightened tensions, India launched new punitive measures towards Pakistan, together with an instantaneous suspension of mail and parcel exchanges through air and floor routes. Moreover, India banned the entry of Pakistani ships into its ports and prohibited Indian vessels from visiting Pakistani ports, as per the Directorate Common of Transport (DGS). The restrictions have been put into place with speedy impact, officers stated.

India additionally imposed a full ban on the import of products from Pakistan, citing nationwide safety and public coverage considerations. Whereas a 200 per cent import obligation on Pakistani items had already successfully halted direct imports for the reason that 2019 Pulwama assault, this new choice additional extends the prohibition to Pakistani items routed by third nations.

These actions adopted India’s earlier punitive measures, together with suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari land border crossing, and downgrading diplomatic ties after the Pahalgam assault.

In a associated improvement, the Pakistan Military introduced the profitable check launch of the Abdali Weapon System, a 450 km vary surface-to-surface missile, aimed toward making certain the operational readiness of its troops. Indian officers, nonetheless, described the missile check as a provocative transfer.

In the meantime, Sri Lankan police, appearing on a tip-off, searched a flight from Chennai arriving in Colombo, suspecting that one of many attackers concerned within the Pahalgam incident is likely to be aboard. Indian authorities have recognized 4 terrorists, together with two Pakistani nationals, because the perpetrators of the assault.

(With PTI inputs)

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