International Response: Pakistan Prohibits Flights of Indian Flagged Aviation Companies at Ports in Reaction to Delhi's Countermeasures at Pahalgam
Tensions Mounting in Pahalgam: Just days after India announced the barring of ships with Pakistani flags from its ports, Pakistan retaliated by banning Indian-flagged ships from accessing its ports. This move came after the devastating Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 lives lost.
Islamabad also prohibited Pakistani flag carriers from visiting any Indian port. The Ministry of Maritime Affairs' Ports and Shipping Wing released an order stating: "In view of the recent development of maritime situation with the neighboring country, Pakistan enforces the 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 a case-by-case basis."
Pakistan's Counteractions Against India
In response to the diplomatic headwinds, India imposed a series of punitive measures, beginning with a ban on imports from Pakistan. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry declared: "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."
Additionally, the Ministry of Communications suspended the exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes. Following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, India downgraded its diplomatic ties with Pakistan and suspended the Indus Water Treaty of 1960.
Reports suggest that on Saturday, Pakistan conducted a test launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile, with a range of 450 kilometers. Meanwhile, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) dismissed a jawan from service for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and "knowingly harboring her beyond the validity of her visa."
The 2025 Pahalgam Attack and Its Aftermath
The Pahalgam attack on April 23, 2025, in the Baisaran Valley left 26 tourists dead and over 20 injured. initially, the Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility, but later denied it. The diplomatic climate between India and Pakistan worsened significantly following this incident, resulting in the tit-for-tat expulsion of diplomats and military attaches, closed borders, and halted trade.
Skirmishes along the Line of Control (LoC) have been reported since the attack, with both sides exchanging threats and preparing for potential military action. Efforts from international powers, specifically the United States and China, have been made to urge both nations to de-escalate tensions, with China supporting an independent investigation into the attack.
The current relationship between India and Pakistan remains tense, with ongoing security concerns and military threats increasing tensions between these nuclear-armed neighbors.
- In a similar response, Pakistan enforced safeguards on its maritime domain, prohibiting Indian-flagged vessels from accessing its ports, as stated by the Ports and Shipping Wing of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
- Amidst the escalating general news and politics, the Pakistani government also flagged Pakistani flag carriers from visiting any Indian port.
- As a result of war-and-conflicts and crimes, the imports of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan were banned by the Indian government.
- The crime-and-justice sector saw a notable development when a jawan was dismissed from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and knowingly harboring her beyond the validity of her visa.
