Pahalgam attack: Pakistan shuts ports for Indian ships after New Delhi bans ports and imports from Islamabad

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has closed its ports to Indian ships in a tit-for-tat response to India’s recent ban on imports from Pakistan, marking a sharp escalation in economic tensions between the two nations. The move follows India’s decision to prohibit all goods from Pakistan, prompted by the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

According to a report by Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs’ Ports and Shipping Wing issued a directive stating, “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 a case-by-case basis.” The ministry cited the need to protect maritime sovereignty, economic interests, and national security as the rationale for the measures, effective immediately.

India’s import ban, announced by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, prohibits both direct and indirect imports from Pakistan, citing national security and public policy concerns. This follows a 200% import duty imposed after the 2019 Pulwama attack, which had already reduced direct trade. The new restrictions also block Pakistani goods entering via third countries, tightening the economic squeeze.
The trade and maritime restrictions are part of a broader Indian response to the Pahalgam attack, which also includes suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari land border crossing, and downgrading diplomatic relations with Pakistan. These measures reflect a significant deterioration in bilateral ties, further strained by the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan’s port closure and India’s import ban signal a deepening economic standoff, with both nations adopting retaliatory measures amid heightened regional tensions.