India bans Pakistani ships from ports to ensure…, in aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack

New Delhi: Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, New Delhi on Saturday banned Pakistani ships from its ports. The decision has been taken in order to ‘ensure the safety of assets’. Issuing a statement, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways stated that ships bearing Pakistan’s flag will not be allowed to visit any Indian port till further announcement. Similarly, Pakistan also banned ships bearing India’s flag from visiting any of its ports.

According to the ministry, the goal is to promote the growth and effective upkeep of India’s merchant navy in a way that best serves the nation’s interests.

The statement said that under the Section 411 of the Indian Constitution (read with Preamble) of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, the ministry took action in dealing with Indian flag ships wherever they may be and foreign-flagged ships while in Indian waters to ensure the safety of life at sea and safety of ships.

“A ship bearing the flag of Pakistan shall not be allowed to visit any Indian Port. An Indian flag ship shall not visit any Ports of Pakistan,” the statement read.

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

Any act of defiance from the order shall be examined and decided on case-to-case basis, the statement said.

Earlier in the day, India imposed an immediate ban on the direct or indirect import and transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, regardless of their import status, effectively halting bilateral trade flows, according to a Ministry of Commerce and Industry notification.

The move comes following the dastardly attack in Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 tourists lost their lives.

In response to a terrorist attack, the central government implemented several diplomatic actions. These included the closure of the Attari Integrated Check Post, the suspension of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani citizens (with a 40-hour deadline for their return), and a reduction in the staffing levels of both countries’ High Commissions.

Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Prime Minister Modi pledged severe retribution for the perpetrators and conspirators involved in the attack.

(With Agency Inputs)

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