How India has punished Pakistan after the Pulwama attacks

The heinous attack in Pulwama has soured relations between India and Pakistan with India taking strong steps to isolate Pakistan. Here are some strong steps India has initiated.

No water-sharing with Pakistan

Transport and water resources minister Nitin Gadkari created a stir on twitter when he announced that government would stop all water-sharing with Pakistan. Water from the eastern rivers would be diverted to Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. He said the Centre was planning to build projects on three rivers flowing into the belligerent neighbour, to divert water towards Yamuna. Under the Indus Waters Treaty, India shares water of the Beas and Sutlej rivers with Pakistan.

Suspension of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service

Pulwama attacks have had a serious fallout for Pakistan. India has stopped the bus service between Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir and Srinagar. The duration of the suspension of the 'peace bus' service has not been confirmed. The bus service started in 2005 and operated across the Line of Control.

Hike in customs duty

Following the Pulwama attack in which more than 40 CRPF personnel were killed, India has hiked customs duty to 200 per cent on goods imported from Pakistan. This includes cement, fresh fruits, petroleum products etc.Pakistan's total exports with India stood at Rs 3,482.3 crore in 2017-18. Reports say, traders, especially those dealing in fresh fruits, cement, and cotton with India, have been affected as the high customs duty has almost put an end to the entire export activity with India.

No MFN status to Pakistan

India has withdrawn the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan in reaction to the Pulwama attacks earlier in February. Indian government took this decision after the attack in Pulwama on the CRPF convoy that killed more than 40 personnel. This status was provided to Pakistan in 1996 and was meant to ensure non-discriminatory trade practices. The bilateral trade between the two countries stands at about $2 bn. Pakistan's exports to India now stand affected by the 200% tariff.

Denial of visas to Pak team

India denied visas to Pakistani shooters thus preventing them from participating in the ISSF Shooting World Cup in the Capital. Pakistan was supposed to send two shooters and a coach to take part in the Rapid Fire Pistol events. India took a tough stand following the Pulwama terror attack but has had to face backlash too. The International Olympic Committee (IOC)  have suspended all Indian applications to host all future events after this incident.

Track 2 initiative on hold

What is also going to suffer as a result of the Pulwama attacks is the track 2 initiative that both countries had embarked upon. According to media reports, people-to-people exchanges will be curtailed and also those between the youth of India and Pakistan

India's request to United Nations about Masood Azhar

The UN Security Council has shown international solidarity and support for India and has condemned in the "strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in J&K's Pulwama. India's bids in the Security Council Sanctions committee to designate Azhar as a global terrorist have not been in vain as the Council as UN body has named the Pakistan-based terror group headed by Masood Azhar.