NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan have announced a raft of measures against each other as tensions mount after 26 men were killed in an attack targeting Hindu tourists in Kashmir last month.
Here is a look at the tit-for-tat punitive steps announced by the South Asian nations amid mutual finger-pointing in the latest crisis:
TRAVEL
India and Pakistan have shut their only open land border and closed their airspace to each other’s airlines.
They have also barred all ships bearing the other’s flag from visiting their ports, and said that their own ships will no longer visit the other’s ports.
New Delhi also cancelled almost all visas issued to Pakistanis and set a deadline for them to return to Pakistan.
TRADE
Pakistan has paused bilateral agreements and suspended all trade with India, which has also banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan.
WATER
India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty which regulated sharing of water of the Indus river system between the countries.
Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on the water for its hydropower and irrigation, has said any attempt to stop or divert its flow will be considered an “act of war”.
DIPLOMACY
Both countries have declared each other’s defence advisers in missions in New Delhi and Islamabad persona non grata, and reduced the strength of their embassies.
POSTAL SERVICE
India has suspended exchange of all categories of inbound mail and parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes.
LOANS
India has asked the International Monetary Fund to review its loans to Pakistan, whose recent borrowings from the global lender include a $7 billion loan secured in September, followed by a $1.3 billion climate resilience loan in March.
SOCIAL MEDIA
India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including those of media outlets such as Dawn News as well as channels of sportspersons such as former cricketer Shoaib Akhtar.
It has also blocked social media accounts of some popular Pakistani personalities, including actor Fawad Khan, whose Instagram account has been blocked, and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose X account is no longer visible in India.
SPORTS
India’s Olympic javelin medallist Neeraj Chopra has rescinded his invitation to Pakistani rival Arshad Nadeem to attend his meet in Bengaluru this month, saying it was “completely out of the question” after the Kashmir attack.
He had earlier invited Paris Olympics champion Nadeem to the meet – titled Neeraj Chopra Classic – which will bring the world’s top throwers together from May 24.
(Compiled by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by YP Rajesh and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
