India expels Pakistan military attachés, summons envoy in response to Pahalgam terror attack
India has issued a strong diplomatic response to the brutal Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. On Wednesday, India summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, and formally declared all Pakistani military attachés posted in India as Persona Non Grata. This action marks a decisive step against Pakistan-based terrorism, as the attack is widely attributed to The Resistance Front, a terror group operating from Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack as a “cowardly assault on innocent lives.”
High-Level Security Meeting and Retaliatory Measures
In a two-hour meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Modi and attended by key ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and S. Jaishankar, the Indian government announced several bold actions targeting Pakistan’s diplomatic, military, and economic ties with India.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that Pakistan’s Defence, Military, Naval, and Air advisors at its High Commission in Delhi must leave the country within a week. In a reciprocal move, India will also withdraw its own military attachés and staff from Islamabad.
Indus Waters Treaty Suspended, Border Closures Ordered
For the first time in history, India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, citing Pakistan’s failure to act against cross-border terrorism. According to the MEA, this suspension will remain in effect until Pakistan takes “verifiable and irreversible steps” to end terror support.
India has also ordered the closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, a key land link between the two nations. Pakistani nationals currently in India with valid documentation have been given until May 1 to leave the country, after which all land travel between the nations will be indefinitely suspended.
Visa Revocations and Diplomatic Downsizing
India has withdrawn Pakistan’s access to the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), cancelling all existing SVES visas for Pakistani nationals. A 48-hour deadline has been set for those currently in India to leave. Additionally, both nations will reduce their respective High Commission staff strength from 55 to 30 personnel by May 1, marking a significant cut in diplomatic engagement.
Heightened Security and Accountability Measures
The CCS has directed Indian armed forces and intelligence agencies to maintain the highest level of vigilance. A new National Investigation Agency (NIA) team has been deployed to Pahalgam to intensify the hunt for those responsible for the attack.
India has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and pledged to bring not just the perpetrators but also their supporters to justice. Officials highlighted recent extradition actions, such as that of Tahawwur Rana, as evidence of India’s commitment to holding global terror operatives accountable.
These measures collectively underscore India’s firm resolve to combat terrorism and safeguard its national security.
