India takes 5 big actions against Pakistan over Kashmir attack: 'Indus Waters Treaty suspended, Attari border shut'

The Central government of India today (23 April) announced tough punitive actions against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, including putting in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the integrated check post at Attari and cutting down the strength of the high commissions from 55 to 30.

Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday. In response to the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned to India on Wednesday morning after cutting short his state visit to Saudi Arabia, chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out, said a government statement.

"It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development," it added.

The CCS recommended five major actions against Pakistan

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, said the statement.
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 Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.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 affected by 01 May 2025.

The CCS directed all forces to maintain high vigil.

"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," it added.

Meanwhile, sources told HT that an all-party meeting will be conducted on Thursday.