Pahalgam Attack Fallout: Pakistan Shuts Ports to Indian Ships After India’s Bold Sanctions

New Delhi: In a retaliatory move, Pakistan has banned the use of its ports by Indian flag carriers just hours after India imposed fresh punitive measures against Islamabad.

On Saturday, India banned the import of goods from or passing through Pakistan and also prohibited Pakistani ships from entering Indian ports. This decision came after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, on April 22.

Pakistan responded by barring Indian flag carriers from docking at any Pakistani ports and also restricting Pakistani ships from visiting Indian ports.

According to a report by the Pakistani newspaper The Dawn, Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs issued a statement saying, "Indian flag carriers shall not be allowed to visit any Pakistani port, and Pakistani flag carriers shall not visit any Indian port. Any exemption will be examined on a case-by-case basis."

As part of its broader punitive measures, India also suspended mail and parcel exchanges with Pakistan via air and surface routes. Additionally, the Indian government imposed a complete ban on imports from Pakistan, citing national security concerns.

The new ban is enforced under a clause added to the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, which prohibits both direct and indirect imports or transit of goods from Pakistan.

This new measure, effective from May 2, 2025, also extends to goods routed through third countries like the UAE, Singapore, or Sri Lanka. Previously, imports from Pakistan had already been halted with a 200% import duty imposed after the Pulwama attack in 2019, but now, even indirect imports are banned.

The Indian government has said that the restrictions are meant to safeguard national security and public policy, ensuring the protection of Indian assets, cargo, and infrastructure.

In response to these actions, Pakistan’s army carried out a missile test of its Abdali Weapon System, a surface-to-surface missile, which India sees as a provocation.

Amid the escalating tensions, authorities in Sri Lanka searched a flight from Chennai to Colombo after receiving a tip that a suspect linked to the Pahalgam attack might be aboard. Indian authorities have identified four terrorists, including two Pakistanis, responsible for the attack.

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