India has imposed an immediate ban on the import of goods originating from or transiting through Pakistan, the Indian government announced as hostilities between the two countries intensified following a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade said the restriction was enacted “in the interest of national security and public policy,” with no exemption timeline provided.
The decision follows an April 22 attack in the Pahalgam area of IIOJK that killed at least 26 tourists.
India has blamed Pakistan for backing the attackers—an accusation Islamabad strongly denies, calling instead for an impartial international investigation.
Islamabad has also alleged that India is preparing for military retaliation and responded by halting all trade at border crossings, closing its airspace to Indian flights, and expelling Indian diplomats.
Pakistan has warned India that any action to disrupt water flows under the Indus Waters Treaty would be considered an act of war.
Earlier, Pakistan has dismissed India’s request to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to review Islamabad’s financial support programme.
An adviser to Pakistan’s finance ministry confirmed on Friday that the country’s $7 billion IMF bailout, secured last year, remains “well on track” and critical for macroeconomic stability.
Islamabad also received an additional $1.3 billion in climate resilience funding in March 2025.
“This programme is not just stabilising Pakistan—it’s building confidence,” said finance adviser Khurram Schehzad. “The latest IMF review went smoothly, and our meetings with global financial institutions in Washington reflected high investor interest.”
India’s move to pressure the IMF comes as the two nuclear-armed neighbours impose reciprocal suspensions on treaties, diplomatic exchanges, and airspace access, deepening hostilities after New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack without presenting evidence.
Officials argue that India’s attempt to involve the IMF is an extension of its political campaign to isolate Pakistan diplomatically.
Neither India’s finance ministry nor the IMF have publicly responded to Pakistan’s concerns.
Airspace closures, the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions have further strained the fragile regional balance.
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