The Crossbill News Desk
India on Wednesday (April 23) undertook a series of sweeping diplomatic and strategic measures aimed at Pakistan, holding it directly responsible for the devastating terror attack on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region that claimed 26 lives.
In what officials have described as the deadliest civilian attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes, armed assailants opened fire on a group of tourists, leaving dozens injured and marking a grim turn in the region’s security situation. The attack comes just weeks after peaceful elections were held in the Union Territory, which the government cited as a possible trigger for the violence.
Following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri issued a formal statement laying out India’s response. Although he did not take questions, Misri's remarks were the first direct official attribution of the attack to cross-border elements allegedly supported by Pakistan.
“At the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out,” he said. “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,” Misri said.
He added that security forces across the country had been directed to maintain high vigilance and emphasized that the perpetrators and their sponsors would be held accountable.
Citing the recent extradition of terror-accused Tahawwur Rana, Misri said India would be "unrelenting in its pursuit of justice."
“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,” he added.
As part of its retaliatory measures, India announced five major steps that will significantly downgrade diplomatic ties with Pakistan and scale back bilateral engagement. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, a landmark agreement signed in 1960 to govern water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries.
Misri stated the treaty would be held "in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism."
India also announced the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, the only operational land border crossing between the two countries.
Pakistani nationals currently in India with valid entries via this route have been asked to return by May 1, 2025.
In another significant step, the government revoked all SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas issued to Pakistani citizens. Those currently in India under this scheme have been given 48 hours to leave.
Diplomatic relations are set to be further downgraded, with India declaring all defence, naval, and air advisers in Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata, giving them one week to leave the country. In a reciprocal move, India will withdraw its own military attaches and support staff from its High Commission in Islamabad. The overall strength of both missions will be reduced from 55 to 30 by May 1.
India and Pakistan have not had high commissioners in each other’s capitals since 2019, when New Delhi revoked Article 370 of its Constitution, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.
Pakistan, meanwhile, denied any involvement in the attack. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested in an interview that the incident could be a “false flag operation.”
The Pakistani Foreign Office issued a statement expressing condolences for the victims, referring to the region as “Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” and called for a thorough investigation.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that a meeting of the National Security Committee would be convened on Thursday to frame Islamabad’s response to the developments.
The current escalation mirrors the heightened tensions seen in February 2019, when a suicide bombing in Pulwama killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. That attack led to airstrikes by India in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and subsequent retaliatory action by Pakistan.
As the region braces for further volatility, the Indian government has signaled a hardening of its stance and a renewed commitment to combat cross-border terrorism.
In what officials have described as the deadliest civilian attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai terror strikes, armed assailants opened fire on a group of tourists, leaving dozens injured and marking a grim turn in the region’s security situation. The attack comes just weeks after peaceful elections were held in the Union Territory, which the government cited as a possible trigger for the violence.
Following an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri issued a formal statement laying out India’s response. Although he did not take questions, Misri's remarks were the first direct official attribution of the attack to cross-border elements allegedly supported by Pakistan.
“At the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out,” he said. “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,” Misri said.
He added that security forces across the country had been directed to maintain high vigilance and emphasized that the perpetrators and their sponsors would be held accountable.
Citing the recent extradition of terror-accused Tahawwur Rana, Misri said India would be "unrelenting in its pursuit of justice."
“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,” he added.
As part of its retaliatory measures, India announced five major steps that will significantly downgrade diplomatic ties with Pakistan and scale back bilateral engagement. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, a landmark agreement signed in 1960 to govern water sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries.
Misri stated the treaty would be held "in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism."
India also announced the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, the only operational land border crossing between the two countries.
Pakistani nationals currently in India with valid entries via this route have been asked to return by May 1, 2025.
In another significant step, the government revoked all SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas issued to Pakistani citizens. Those currently in India under this scheme have been given 48 hours to leave.
Diplomatic relations are set to be further downgraded, with India declaring all defence, naval, and air advisers in Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata, giving them one week to leave the country. In a reciprocal move, India will withdraw its own military attaches and support staff from its High Commission in Islamabad. The overall strength of both missions will be reduced from 55 to 30 by May 1.
India and Pakistan have not had high commissioners in each other’s capitals since 2019, when New Delhi revoked Article 370 of its Constitution, stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status.
Pakistan, meanwhile, denied any involvement in the attack. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggested in an interview that the incident could be a “false flag operation.”
The Pakistani Foreign Office issued a statement expressing condolences for the victims, referring to the region as “Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” and called for a thorough investigation.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that a meeting of the National Security Committee would be convened on Thursday to frame Islamabad’s response to the developments.
The current escalation mirrors the heightened tensions seen in February 2019, when a suicide bombing in Pulwama killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel. That attack led to airstrikes by India in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and subsequent retaliatory action by Pakistan.
As the region braces for further volatility, the Indian government has signaled a hardening of its stance and a renewed commitment to combat cross-border terrorism.
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