India bans Pakistani ships from ports to ‘ensure safety of assets’ in aftermath of Pahalgam attack

NEW DELHI: Amid rising tensions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, India on Saturday banned Pakistani ships from ports to ‘ensure safety of assets.’

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways issued a statement saying that ships bearing Pakistan flag shall not be allowed to visit any Indian port.
Similarly, a ship bearing the tricolor is barred from visiting any ports of Pakistan, the statement said.

As per the ministry, the objective of act is to foster the development and ensure the efficient maintenance of an Indian mercantile marine, in a manner best suited to serve the national interests.

The statement said that under the Section 411 of the Indian Constitution (read with Preamble) of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, the ministry took action in dealing with Indian flag ships wherever these may be and Foreign Flag ships while in Indian waters, to ensure 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 safety of Indian assets, cargo and connected infrastructure, in public interest and for 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 notification by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

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

Following the terror attack, the Central government announced several diplomatic measures, such as closing the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, giving them 40 hours to return to their country, and reducing the number of officers in the High Commissions on both sides.

India also halted the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960 in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also assured the country that the terrorists responsible for this attack, along with those who conspired it, will face punishment beyond their imagination. (ANI)