On Tuesday, the Pakistan government hiked export duty on Ittar (scents) imported by India to a staggering 200% with immediate effect. The export rate hike came right after India conducted an air strike on PoK and Pakistan to avenge the death of 40 of its CRPF Jawans, who were killed in a cowardly attack in Pulwama.
Soon after the air strikes, a high-level meeting chaired by Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan was organised to conceptualize a plan of action in defence against India. In the meeting, the team decided to isolate India not only financially but in all respects. After hours of brainstorming, Pakistan’s war experts came up with the suggestion of imposing sanctions on an integral product that it exports to India i.e. scent or what is popularly known as Ittar. Annually Pakistan exports scent worth PKR 40 crores to India, which happens to be 12% of its entire GDP.
The punitive action followed the air strikes by India which destroyed the Jaish-e-Mohammad’s control room and killed more than 300 terrorists. Pakistan’s Finance Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, immediately tweeted Pakistan’s decision to increase the export duty on Ittar for India by 200%.
Currently there’s no reaction from the Indian government, but if defence experts are to be trusted, it is a masterstroke by Pakistan.
“Air strikes kya karli, ye India jo hai hai, vo bahut hi itarta hai. Iska maakool jawab dena banta hai. Ab na rahega Ittar, aur na itrega India!” said a defence expert from Pakistan.
