India raises customs duty on all imports from Pakistan to 200% after withdrawing MFN status over Pulwama attack
India on Saturday raised customs duty on all imports from Pakistan to 200% after withdrawing the most favoured nation or MFN status over Pulwama attack in which at least 40 CRPF jawans were killed.
Union Minister Arun Jaitley made the announcement on Twitter. “India has withdrawn MFN status to Pakistan after the Pulwama incident. Upon withdrawal, basic customs duty on all goods exported from Pakistan to India has been raised to 200% with immediate effect,” he said.
India had on Friday stripped Pakistan of MFN status, which offered the country certain trade privileges.
India has also launched a coordinated move to mount global pressure on Islamabad to crack down on terrorists operating from its soil, with Arun Jaitley saying the government will take all steps to ensure the “complete isolation” of Pakistan.
On Thursday, a suicide bomber rammed a car laden with explosives into a CRPF truck, part of a convoy of 78 vehicles, in the Avantipora area of Pulwama district. Initial reports said 44 men were feared to have been killed. On Thursday, the CRPF confirmed 40 deaths, making it the deadliest attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s three-decade-long insurgency.