A day after the Pahalgam attack, India on Wednesday “held in abeyance” the Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan, expelled diplomats and defence forces officials from Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, and cancelled all visas granted to Pakistan nationals, asking them to leave in 48 hours.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made this announcement after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security at the Prime Minister’s residence. The government, meanwhile, has convened an all party meeting on Thursday.
At least 26 people, including two foreign tourists and local Kashmiri, were killed by a group of armed men in one of the most deadly militant attacks on civilians in the Baisaran meadows in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon.
This is the first big militant attack targetted against civilians in the Valley since 2019.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a little-known armed group that emerged in the region in 2019, claimed responsibility for the attack.
‘Recognising the seriousness of this terror attack’, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decided on the following measures:
- 1.The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
2.The Integrated Check Post Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 01 May 2025.
3.Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
4.The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.
5.The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by 01 May 2025.
