India Halts Imports from Pakistan Amid Rising Tensions

NEW DELHI: In the aftermath of a fatal assault on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK), India has declared a prohibition on the importation of goods originating from or passing through Pakistan, amidst escalating diplomatic strain between the two nuclear-armed nations.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade in India announced the ban’s immediate implementation through a notification. The notification stated that “This restriction is being enforced in the interest of national security and public policy.”

According to Indian media, a clause has been incorporated into the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, effective immediately until further notice, “to forbid direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan”, as stated in the notification dated May 2.

Pakistan has similarly placed restrictions on imports originating from India.

Last week’s attack on a mountain resort in the Pahalgam region of the Kashmir valley resulted in the deaths of at least 26 tourists, with suspicion falling on militants.

This Muslim-majority Himalayan area has been the epicenter of numerous conflicts, insurgencies, and diplomatic confrontations.

India has asserted Pakistan’s involvement in the assault, an accusation that Islamabad refutes. Pakistan claims to possess “credible intelligence” indicating India’s intention to initiate military action.

In response to Pakistan, India has issued threats to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.

Pakistan has also revealed retaliatory actions, encompassing the suspension of all border trade, the closure of its airspace to Indian airlines, and the expulsion of Indian diplomats.

Furthermore, it has cautioned that any attempts to impede the flow of river water, as guaranteed by a long-standing treaty between the two countries, would be perceived as an act of aggression.

In recent years, trade between the two countries has diminished.

The Line of Control (LoC) has seen increased tensions between Pakistan and India as a result of the attack.

Amidst warnings of a broader military escalation, Indian and Pakistani forces have exchanged fire along the LoC, which divides the two nations, prompting the UN to appeal for “maximum restraint.”

The tensions extend beyond the border, with Kashmiris across India experiencing heightened violence following the recent deadly attack.

Following the recent attack, Kashmiris organized candlelight vigils and protest rallies, with a complete shutdown observed the day after the killings, and newspapers featured black front pages.

Across numerous regions in India, Muslims are also experiencing mob violence as racist accusations linking them to the attack gain traction in popular discourse.

There are growing apprehensions about a wider conflict between the two nuclear powers if the tensions are not promptly de-escalated.