Pakistanis told to leave; border shut, visas revoked: India’s tough stand after Pahalgam attack

New Delhi: Following the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that left at least 26 people dead, India has announced a series of strong diplomatic and security measures targeting Pakistan. 

The decisions were made following a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired to address the gravity of the attack.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, in a statement issued Wednesday, outlined the measures decided by the CCS, which include suspension of key agreements, closure of borders, and expulsion of defence officials from both nations’ diplomatic missions.

The Attari border crossing has been closed with immediate effect. Pakistani nationals who had entered India with valid endorsements have been permitted to return via the same route before May 1, 2025.

Pakistani nationals will no longer be permitted to enter India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Any SVES visas issued to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled and those already in India under this scheme have 48 hours to exit the country, added Misri.

The Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata and given one week to leave India.

India will also be withdrawing its own Defence, Navy, and Air Advisors posted in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These roles are now formally annulled.

In another bold move, the government has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a long-standing agreement brokered in 1960 that governs the distribution of water from the Indus River and its tributaries. This decision could have far-reaching consequences for both countries, especially Pakistan, which relies heavily on the Indus system for agriculture and drinking water.