The Indian government has made a firm decision to take stringent actions against Pakistan after its Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS) presented evidence linking cross-border activities to the recent terror attack that killed 26 people in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The CSS has introduced a five-point plan targeting Pakistan’s infrastructure, water deals, the border, visas, and diplomatic personnel.
As part of this plan, Pakistani nationals will no longer be able to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). All SVES visas granted to Pakistani nationals are now canceled, and any Pakistani currently in India under such a visa must leave within 48 hours.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty will also be “held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abandons its support for cross-border terrorism,” the CSS stated.
Additionally, the Integrated Check Post Attari has been closed, with those who crossed into India with valid endorsements allowed to return through the same route before May 1, 2025.
India is also scaling down its diplomatic presence in Islamabad and withdrawing permission for Pakistani diplomats in Delhi. The Indian government has declared the defence, military, naval, and air advisors at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata, giving them one week to leave the country. India will also be withdrawing its diplomatic counterparts from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Five support staff members from the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both high commissions, reducing the overall strength of the high commissions from 55 to 30, with a deadline set for May 1.
The CSS has directed all forces to maintain high vigilance and stressed that those responsible for the attack would be brought to justice, with their sponsors held accountable. India has vowed to be “unrelenting” in its pursuit of those who committed or facilitated terrorist acts.
These decisions were made at a CSS meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Vikram Misri, Secretary of External Affairs, announced the actions following the meeting, highlighting the cross-border connection behind the attack.
The attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of 26 people and injuries to 10 others, including Indian tourists and a Nepali national. The terrorist group The Resistance Front (TRF), a branch of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the attack. It is believed that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, has some involvement with the TRF.
