News
As India, Pakistan go for truce: Pak passengers stranded in Colombo
View(s):By Tharushi Weerasinghe
The Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE) has received reports of Pakistanis, largely transit passengers, being marooned in Colombo after all flights were cancelled owing to hostilities between Pakistan and India.
While the numbers weren’t immediately available, Sri Lanka’s mission in Islamabad had flagged the presence of transit passengers whose visas are valid only for two days. The option of issuing them one-month visas has been discussed, official DIE sources said, adding that if the travel interruptions drag on for longer, a policy decision will have to be taken in consultation with the Foreign Ministry and the President’s Office.
However, US President Donald Trump announced yesterday that the two countries have agreed to a truce. Using his official X handle, he said, “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
The cessation of hostilities was also announced in the respective countries. “India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action,” Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar Menon said on X. “India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.”
Despite the announcement of a truce, explosions were heard last night in Sri Nagar, agency reports said.
Meanwhile, the Port of Colombo has braced for heightened traffic from feeder vessels after both India and Pakistan announced that neither country would accept ships if they carried cargo meant for the other. Pakistan’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs (Ports & Shipping Wing) has said Pakistani ports were closed for Indian flag carriers while Pakistani flag carriers were barred from visiting Indian ports.
India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry declared a prohibition on the import or transit of all goods originating in or exported from Pakistan. Despite the ceasefire, these instructions do not appear to have been lifted.
This means that ships carrying cargo for both Pakistan and India will want to offload the smaller consignment (bound either for India or Pakistan) at a neutral port before proceeding to their destination of choice. “If the vessel is coming from the West, they will look for Dubai or Salalah (in Oman),” said Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Admiral (Rtd) Sirimevan Ranasinghe. “If it’s coming from the East, the best option is Colombo.”
One ship had already arrived at the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) in this manner, he said, but could not immediately provide detailed statistics. “These are not planned moves,” he explained. “They are ad hoc and will be directed to the terminal that is available. JCT has a large number of berths. They are mostly feeder vessels, not mainline, so they go mostly to JCT, to SAGT (South Asia Gateway Terminals) and, to a lesser degree, CICT (Colombo International Container Terminals).”
As of yesterday, SriLankan Airlines hadn’t resumed its flights to Pakistan, Corporate Communications Manager Deepal Perera said. “Day before yesterday, all international flights to Lahore were suspended, and yesterday, Karachi was declared closed for 24 hours, with its airspace remaining shut,” he elaborated. “We operate flights to both Karachi and Lahore four times a week.”
Sri Lanka is also a popular destination for Indian tourists who, in 2024, made up 20.3 percent (416,974) of visitors of total arrivals. The country is a top source market. In the first week of May alone, there were 10,620 Indian visitors, while Pakistan was identified as a potential growth market.
“It is too early to assess the impact, as none of our main Indian source cities are currently in conflict zones,” said Buddhika Hewawasm, Chairman, Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority. “Areas like parts of Kashmir and Chandigarh are affected, but they are not traditional tourism markets for Sri Lanka. However, the ongoing unrest could have an impact if the conflict spreads to Chennai, Bangalore, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, or Delhi, which are key sources of tourists.”
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