The Centre on Saturday banned all ships bearing the flag of Pakistan from entering any Indian port amid escalating tensions between the two countries after the horrifying Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.

In a notification dated May 3, the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways also said an Indian ship will also not visit any Pakistani port.

This comes hours after India banned all imports from Pakistan.

“A ship bearing the flag of Pakistan shall not be allowed to visit any Indian Port,” said the order.

“An Indian flag ship shall not visit any Ports of Pakistan.”

The order will be implemented will immediate effect and will be valid until further notice, the government said.

Why did India ban Pakistani ships?

India’s decision to ban all Pakistani ships from visiting its ports has been made in order to ensure safety, the ministry said in the notification.

“This order is issued to ensure safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure, in public interest and for interest of Indian shipping,” it said.

“Any exemption or dispensation from this order shall be examined and decided on case-to-case basis,” the order added.

India bans Pakistani imports

India has banned direct or indirect import of all goods from Pakistan with immediate effect in the interest of national security and public policy, as per a government order.

A provision in this regard has been added in Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 “to prohibit direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan with immediate effect until further orders”, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification dated May 2.

Inserting the provision under the heading “Prohibition on Import from Pakistan” in the FTP, it said: “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, until further orders”.

It added this restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy. Any exception to this prohibition will require approval of Government of India.

Following the terror attack, India took a series of measures including immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post, used for movement of certain kinds of goods. Besides, India has announced expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, and suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960. On May 3, India also suspended the movement of any inbound mail pr parcels from Pakistan via airway or surface.

Source: Livemint