India and Pakistan Tensions Continue to Rise
INDIA – India and Pakistan tensions continue to rise since the Pahalgam terror attack which resulted to 26 deaths in the Pahalgam tourist resort in the Indian-administered Kashmir.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack, saying it had “cross border links,” but Islamabad denied.
India Bans Imports from Pakistan
India Saturday said it has banned all imports from neighboring Pakistan amid the ongoing tensions between the two South Asian nations since the April 22 Kashmir attack which left 26 people dead, according to a government notification released in New Delhi.
“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 order,” read the notification issued by the Indian Commerce Ministry late Friday.
It said the ban will take effect immediately.
“Restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy,” it added.
Islamabad has already banned trade with India.
New Delhi’s latest move comes as tensions are running high between the nuclear-armed neighbors since last month’s attack in the Pahalgam tourist resort in the Indian-administered Kashmir.
India blamed Pakistan, saying the attack had “cross border links.” Islamabad denied and instead offered a neutral probe with third-party monitoring.
Both countries have taken diplomatic measures against each other, including canceling visas for each other’s citizens and recalling diplomatic staff.
India also suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 water use and distribution agreement with Pakistan.
In recent days, many countries, including the US, have contacted leaders of both countries in an attempt to ease tensions.
Pakistan Conducts Military Drills in Show of Power
Pakistan conducted a “successful training launch” of a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers (279.6 miles), the military said Saturday.
The Pakistani army said the launch was “aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features.”
President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and military leadership congratulated the participating troops, scientists, and engineers for the successful launch of missiles.
“They expressed complete confidence in the operational preparedness and technical proficiency of Pakistan’s Strategic Forces to ensure credible minimum deterrence and safeguard national security against any aggression,” according to the statement.
