India Bans Imports and Ships from Pakistan, Blocks Social Media Accounts of Public Figures

Decision to Suspend Mail and Parcel Exchange

As tensions rise between India and Pakistan following a terrorist attack in the disputed Indian-administered Kashmir region, India has implemented sanctions such as banning imports of Pakistani goods, prohibiting Pakistani ships from entering Indian ports, and suspending postal exchanges, further escalating the conflict.

According to AFP and AP on May 4 (local time), India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Ministry of Commerce announced in a notice the previous day that it was immediately banning the import of goods from Pakistan, stating, "This restriction is being imposed for reasons of national security and public policy."

The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) of India also banned Pakistani-flagged vessels from entering Indian ports and Indian-flagged vessels from entering Pakistani ports. In a statement, the DGS said, "This order is issued to ensure the safety of Indian assets, cargo, and related infrastructure, and to protect the interests of the public and the Indian shipping industry."

Additionally, the Indian Department of Posts announced that it had "decided to suspend the exchange of all types of mail and parcels arriving from Pakistan by air or land routes."

At the end of last month, Indian authorities blocked more than 12 Pakistani YouTube channels, including Pakistani media outlets, citing the dissemination of 'provocative' content. On the previous day, India also blocked domestic access to the social media accounts of prominent Pakistani public figures.

As a result, Indian citizens are unable to access the Instagram accounts of former Pakistani Prime Minister and national cricket star Imran Khan, famous Bollywood actors Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam, and Paris Olympic men's javelin gold medalist Arshad Nadeem.

Earlier, on April 22, a shooting attack targeting tourists occurred near Pahalgam, a resort area in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulting in 26 deaths and 17 injuries. India believes Pakistan was behind this attack.

India has also suspended the effectiveness of the 'Indus Waters Treaty,' which was an agreement not to interfere with the flow of the Indus River into Pakistan, and has canceled visas for Pakistani nationals as part of its sanctions.

Pakistan has denied any involvement in the terrorist attack and retaliated by banning Indian aircraft from its airspace, suspending trade, and canceling visas for Indian nationals. In addition, both countries have engaged in small-scale skirmishes for nine consecutive days along the Line of Control (LoC), which serves as the de facto border.