Desk:Following the brutal massacre in Pahalgam, India has taken a series of strong measures against Pakistan, one of the most significant being the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. This move has sparked a sharp reaction from Pakistan, which is now threatening a strong diplomatic response. So far, the Indian government has not issued a direct response to Pakistan’s statements.
According to a report by The Express Tribune, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has criticized India’s decisions. In a television interview on Wednesday, Dar stated that India has failed to provide any concrete evidence linking Pakistan to the terrorist attacks. He also claimed that India’s actions are driven by anger rather than rationality.
“India has not presented any evidence regarding the terror incidents. These announcements reflect a lack of seriousness,” Dar said. He added, “Whenever there is a crisis in India, Pakistan is conveniently blamed.”
Dar revealed that following India’s announcements, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) convened a special meeting to formulate an official response. “India’s statements are inappropriate, and the NSC will issue a formal response,” he said, emphasizing that such outrage over terrorism is not the right way to address the issue.
India’s Countermeasures
In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, India, in a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting held on Wednesday, announced a series of stern decisions. These include significantly downgrading diplomatic relations with Pakistan, suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, and shutting down the Attari border post.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing the media after the CCS meeting, outlined India’s five key countermeasures. He stated that by May 1, the number of staff in both Indian and Pakistani High Commissions would be reduced from 55 to 30 as part of the diplomatic downgrading.
Misri also announced that Pakistani nationals would no longer be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Moreover, Pakistanis currently in India under SVES have been given 48 hours to leave the country.
Among other actions, Misri declared several defense-related personnel from the Pakistani High Commission, including military, naval, and air advisors, as persona non grata, ordering them to leave India within a week. Similarly, India will recall its defense attachés from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Additionally, five supporting staff members from both high commissions will also be withdrawn, and the corresponding posts will be considered dissolved.
These moves mark a significant escalation in India-Pakistan relations and underscore New Delhi’s firm stance in response to the latest terror attack.