Pakistan has unable to hide its desperation ever since India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan tried making this an international issue but it failed miserably after the international community echoed the fact that India’s move on Jammu & Kashmir was an internal matter of India, not warranting an international reaction.
Representing his country’s bitter disappointment and desperation, Pakistan’s Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry indicated that the Pakistan is considering shutting its airspace to New Delhi. Chaudhary tweeted, “PM is considering a complete closure of air space to India, a complete ban on the use of Pakistan land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan was also suggested in the cabinet meeting… legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration… Modi has started, we’ll finish!”
PM is considering a complete closure of Air Space to India, a complete ban on use of Pakistan Land routes for Indian trade to Afghanistan was also suggested in cabinet meeting,legal formalities for these decisions are under consideration… #Modi has started we ll finish!
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) August 27, 2019
Now, Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has stated that India should block ships bound for Karachi if Pakistan closes its airspace for Indian aircrafts. He has made this statement a day after Pakistan’s minister suggested that his country was mulling shutting its airspace to New Delhi. Swamy tweeted, “My advice to Namo Govt: If Pak closes their airspace for our commercial and civilian aircraft, India should close Karachi port by blocking ships going through the Arabian Sea (which needs to be renamed) to Karachi port.”
My advice to Namo Govt: If Pak closes their airspace for our commercial and civil aircraft , India should close Karachi port by blocking ships going through Arabian Sea (which needs to be renamed) to Karachi port.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) August 28, 2019
Swamy’s remark is based on an accurate assessment of the geopolitical situation. It must be noted that the Karachi port is a crucial asset for Pakistan’s economy. The port is an economic hub and handles more than half of Pakistan’s imported goods.
It is important to mention here that after the Indian Air Force (IAF) had struck Pakistan-sponsored terror organisation, Jaish e Mohammed’s terror training facility in Balakot earlier this year, Pakistan had shut its airspace for a period of almost four months. A total of 600 Indian flights per day were impacted due to the closure of Pakistan’s airspace.
It may be noted that Karachi is the financial and industrial hub of Pakistan with an estimated GDP of 114 billion dollars. The port handles about 26 million tons of cargo per annum and about 1600 ships are visit Karachi Port annually; with the port generating a revenue of 1.3 billion rupees in 2016-17. So, if a naval blockade is imposed in Karachi it is going to be catastrophic for the terror country.
This suggestion by Subramanian Swamy should be seriously considered by the government of the day. If Pakistan starts taking aggressive steps with the malicious intention of causing economic loss to India, then India too should not sit back and blocking ships towards Karachi could actually help India in inflicting disproportionate damage on Pakistan’s economy, if Pakistan does indulge in the kind of misadventure indicated by its minister, Fawad Chaudhary.