The United States is stepping up pressure on India and Pakistan to avoid conflict in Kashmir after a tourist massacre in an Indian-administered area of the divided territory last week.

Pakistan asked Gulf allies on Friday to help ease tensions with India after the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 people, mostly Hindus, were killed.

India said on Saturday it had banned the import of goods coming from or transiting via Pakistan and barred Pakistani ships as tensions rise between the nuclear-armed neighbours in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region.