India on Wednesday launched a major diplomatic measures against Pakistan, such as the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and no entry for Pakistani nationals to India, following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people.
The five measures, announced by the government, came after a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting was held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack – one of the worst attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past.
India Answers in Five Pointers
- The Indus Waters Treaty – a key water-sharing agreement brokered in 1960 – will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
- The integrated Attari-Wagah checkpost 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. Any SPES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SPES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
- India will be withdrawing its Defence, Navy and Air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Similarly, the Defence, Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi are declared persona non grata. They have a week to leave India.
- The overall strength of the respective High Commissions will be brought down to 30.
PAHALGAM TERROR ATTACK
On Tuesday afternoon, five to six terrorists opened fire n a group of tourists in the Baisaran meadows, which is around 5 kms from Pahalgam. The meadow – also known as ‘mini Switzerland' – is accessible only by foot or by horseback. The Pahalgam carnage was one of the deadliest civilian attacks in the Kashmir Valley in recent years.
The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
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