Synopsis
India has suspended the official X account of the Pakistani government following a brutal terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities and numerous injuries. This action is part of a broader diplomatic response to the escalating tensions between the two nations.Key Takeaways
- India has withheld Pakistan’s official X account due to a terror attack.
- 26 people lost their lives in the Pahalgam attack.
- India has declared military advisors from Pakistan as Persona Non Grata.
- The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 has been suspended.
- All SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas for Pakistanis have been revoked.
New Delhi, April 24 (NationPress) India has withheld the official X account of the Government of Pakistan in response to a heinous terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, claiming the lives of 26 individuals and leaving many others wounded.
In a robust diplomatic reaction to the brutal assault, India summoned Saad Ahmad Warraich, Pakistan's chief diplomat in New Delhi, issuing a formal Persona Non Grata notice to all military attaches, according to sources.
This action follows the deadly incident, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condemned as a “cowardly attack on innocent civilians.”
The assault, suspected to be carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist group The Resistance Front, has prompted India to take decisive retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Modi led a crucial high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), lasting over two hours and attended by key ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and S. Jaishankar.
In a briefing following the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) detailed a series of actions aimed at directly undermining Pakistan's diplomatic, economic, and military ties with India.
India has declared Pakistan's Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Advisors at its High Commission in New Delhi as Persona Non Grata, ordering their departure from Indian territory within a week. Concurrently, India is withdrawing its own Defence, Navy, and Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, terminating all such diplomatic assignments. Five support staff linked to these roles will also be recalled from both countries.
In a landmark decision, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, marking a historical first for this significant agreement. The MEA announced that this suspension will remain until Pakistan takes tangible steps to halt its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism.
Further escalating the diplomatic crisis, India has declared the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, an essential land route between the two nations. Pakistani citizens currently in India with valid travel documentation have been instructed to exit via the ICP by May 1, 2025. After this date, all overland travel between the countries will be suspended indefinitely.
Additionally, Pakistani nationals will no longer be permitted entry into India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). All previously granted SVES visas to Pakistani nationals have been revoked, and those present in India under this scheme must depart within 48 hours.
Furthermore, both nations will reduce their High Commission staff numbers from 55 to 30 by May 1, as part of mutual measures aimed at diminishing diplomatic presence and limiting bilateral interactions.
The CCS has also instructed Indian armed forces and security agencies to maintain the highest level of readiness due to the ongoing threat. Officials indicated that the search for those responsible for the Pahalgam attack has intensified, with a newly deployed team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the scene.
Reaffirming its zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, India has reiterated its commitment to hold not only the attackers but also their backers accountable. Referencing recent extraditions, including that of Tahawwur Rana, officials emphasized the nation's ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring all parties involved in anti-India terrorism to justice.
