Another blow to Pakistan, India shuts down postal and parcel service

India on Saturday suspended the exchange of all types of mail and parcels with Pakistan through air and surface routes with immediate effect. New Delhi has taken tough steps against Islamabad after the Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. In this attack, Pakistan-based terrorists killed 26 people. Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the Government of India has decided to suspend the exchange of all types of mail and parcels coming from Pakistan through air and surface routes. Earlier, India has banned direct or indirect import of all goods from Pakistan with immediate effect in the interest of national security and public policy. This information was given in a government order. This decision will completely stop all inflow of goods from Pakistan to India. India’s exports to Pakistan from April last year to January this year were $ 44.76 crore, while imports were only $ 4.2 lakh. In a notification dated May 2, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said, “In this regard, a provision has been added in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, under which direct or indirect import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan will be prohibited with immediate effect till further orders.” It said that this ban has been imposed in the interest of national security and public policy. The order said that any exception to this ban will require the approval of the Government of India. Inserting the provision under the heading ‘Ban on Import from Pakistan’ in the FTP, it said, “The direct or indirect import or transit of all goods imported or exported from Pakistan, whether freely importable or otherwise permitted, will be prohibited with immediate effect till further orders.”