NEW DELHI: Asserting that India will be unrelenting in its pursuit of those who commit terrorist attacks against the country, the govt announced a series of measures to impose costs on Islamabad for its support to cross-border terrorism , including the suspension of World Bank-backed Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably" abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
The govt also shut down the Attari border with Pakistan in Amritsar, expelled the Pakistani air, navy and army advisors declaring them persona non grata and cut down the strength of the high commissions from the already downgraded 55 to 30. The posts of defence advisors were annulled by India and five support staff of the service advisors withdrawn from both high commissions. India had last downgraded diplomatic ties in 2020 by reducing the mission strength to half of what it was earlier.
After a CCS meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, foreign secretary Vikram Misri also announced that 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,'' he said. In the CCS meeting, Misri said, the cross-border linkages of the Pahalgam terrorist attack were brought out and 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.
Speaking about India's response to the attack, which came in the middle of important Indian engagements with the US and Saudi Arabia, govt sources suggested the actions announced were only indicative and not exhaustive, as all options, including "kinetic action", remained on the table.
All P5 countries, including China, condemn attack
In the absence of any substantive bilateral engagement with Pakistan for almost a decade, exchanges between the two countries had been limited to talks under the IWT framework for irrigation and hydropower development and cooperation at the SCO forum.
India had not discontinued engagements under the IWT mainly because of the involvement of the World Bank, a co-signatory to the treaty, but it had twice issued notice to Pakistan in the recent past for a review and modification of the treaty. Last year, it cited the effect of persistent cross-border terror attacks as one of the reasons for seeking a review of the treaty.
President Donald Trump in a conversation with Modi condemned the attack and offered full support for efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. The support for India from the international community so far has been overwhelming, with all countries, including China, condemning the attack Pakistan denied any link with the worst attack on civilians in India in years, choosing to describe it as "home-grown".
Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif said the top civilian and military leadership will meet on Thursday to formulate an appropriate response to India's move to suspend the IWT and downgrade diplomatic ties. "A session of the National Security Committee will be held under the chair of PM Shehbaz Sharif," he said. Misri said strong expressions of support and solidarity were received from many govts around the world, which unequivocally condemned the terror attack, and the CCS recorded its appreciation for such sentiments, which reflect zero tolerance for terrorism.
"The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured,'' Misri said, adding that the CCS also reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. "It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will 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.
The govt also shut down the Attari border with Pakistan in Amritsar, expelled the Pakistani air, navy and army advisors declaring them persona non grata and cut down the strength of the high commissions from the already downgraded 55 to 30. The posts of defence advisors were annulled by India and five support staff of the service advisors withdrawn from both high commissions. India had last downgraded diplomatic ties in 2020 by reducing the mission strength to half of what it was earlier.
After a CCS meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi, foreign secretary Vikram Misri also announced that 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,'' he said. In the CCS meeting, Misri said, the cross-border linkages of the Pahalgam terrorist attack were brought out and 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.
Speaking about India's response to the attack, which came in the middle of important Indian engagements with the US and Saudi Arabia, govt sources suggested the actions announced were only indicative and not exhaustive, as all options, including "kinetic action", remained on the table.
All P5 countries, including China, condemn attack
In the absence of any substantive bilateral engagement with Pakistan for almost a decade, exchanges between the two countries had been limited to talks under the IWT framework for irrigation and hydropower development and cooperation at the SCO forum.
India had not discontinued engagements under the IWT mainly because of the involvement of the World Bank, a co-signatory to the treaty, but it had twice issued notice to Pakistan in the recent past for a review and modification of the treaty. Last year, it cited the effect of persistent cross-border terror attacks as one of the reasons for seeking a review of the treaty.
President Donald Trump in a conversation with Modi condemned the attack and offered full support for efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice. The support for India from the international community so far has been overwhelming, with all countries, including China, condemning the attack Pakistan denied any link with the worst attack on civilians in India in years, choosing to describe it as "home-grown".
Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif said the top civilian and military leadership will meet on Thursday to formulate an appropriate response to India's move to suspend the IWT and downgrade diplomatic ties. "A session of the National Security Committee will be held under the chair of PM Shehbaz Sharif," he said. Misri said strong expressions of support and solidarity were received from many govts around the world, which unequivocally condemned the terror attack, and the CCS recorded its appreciation for such sentiments, which reflect zero tolerance for terrorism.
"The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured,'' Misri said, adding that the CCS also reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. "It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will 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.
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