No Visa For Pakistani Nationals, Indus Water Treaty Suspended: India Responds To J&K Attack

Following the fatal terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, India has decided to prohibit the issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals and hold the Indus Water Treaty between the two countries in abeyance, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Wednesday.

India's tough approach against Pakistan comes a day after terrorists suspected with cross-border links killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam, one of the hotspot for tourists in South Kashmir.

The MEA has decided to ask various Pakistani diplomats stationed in the country to leave, and recall several officials serving at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

The Attari-Wagah border in Punjab will be closed, the ministry further announced.

During a press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the Cabinet Committee on Security reviewed the security situation and instructed all forces to maintain high vigilance. "India received strong expressions of support from many countries," he added.

The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack would be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. "As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror or conspired to make them possible," Misri said.

Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, the CCS decided upon the following measures:

• 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.

• The Integrated Check Post at Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025.

• Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme or SVES. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.

• 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 also withdraw its own Defence or Navy or Air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff members of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.

• The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by May 1, 2025.

An all-party meeting has been called regarding the Pahalgam attack. It will be held in the Parliament Annexe tomorrow, according to NDTV sources. The government will brief opposition parties during this meeting. The all-party meeting will be held under the leadership of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.