Pakistan has officially barred all Indian-flagged vessels from entering its ports and territorial waters, in direct response to New Delhi’s recent ban on Pakistani ships, Aaj News reported on Sunday, citing a notice from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
The ban also applies to Pakistani ships, which are now prohibited from docking at Indian ports, effectively freezing maritime ties between the two neighbors.
Citing rising tensions and national security concerns, the ministry said the measure is a direct response to India’s earlier restrictions. Any requests for exemptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis, the ministry added.
The escalating tit-for-tat measures are expected to disrupt regional trade routes, further straining already minimal trade between the two countries.
On Saturday, India announced its own sweeping ban, prohibiting Pakistani-flagged vessels from entering any Indian port, and barring Indian-flagged ships from visiting Pakistan. India’s Directorate General of Shipping said the move was taken to “ensure the safety of Indian assets, cargo, and infrastructure.”
Trade between India and Pakistan has sharply declined in recent years, and these new maritime bans mark a fresh low in relations.
The latest flare-up follows a deadly attack in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir last month, where at least 26 people were killed. India has accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, a charge Islamabad has strongly denied.
The long-disputed Kashmir region remains a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed nations, which have fought multiple wars and endured decades of diplomatic standoffs.
