India bans all imports from Pakistan over Pahalgam attack

India has announced a ban on all imports from Pakistan with immediate effect amid escalating tensions following the Pahalgam attack.

The decision has been taken in the interest of national security and public policy, said a notification issued by India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry dated yesterday (May 2).

The ban applies to all products in transit from Pakistan.

“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,” the notification said.

The order, signed by Ajay Bhadoo, director general of Foreign Trade, further said, “This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy. Any exception to this prohibition shall require prior approval of the Government of India.”

The ban on imports from Pakistan is India’s latest punitive diplomatic step eleven days after 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were shot dead in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalagam of India. The Wagah-Attari border, the sole land trade route between India and Pakistan, has already been closed in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Soon after the April 22 attack, India announced a raft of measures suspending the 1960 Indus Water Treaty with Pakistani citing “sustained cross-border terrorism”, stopping visa to Pakistani nationals and downgrading diplomatic ties with Islamabad.