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New Delhi: In a resolute and far-reaching response to the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national, the Government of India has announced a series of strong diplomatic and strategic measures against Pakistan. The decisions were taken at an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) held this evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The CCS, which was briefed in detail on the attack, condemned the massacre in the strongest terms and expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims. Several countries have extended messages of support and solidarity, unequivocally condemning the attack—an expression the CCS acknowledged as a sign of growing global intolerance toward terrorism.

The official briefing to the CCS highlighted clear cross-border linkages to the attack, which comes at a time when Jammu & Kashmir has been witnessing a peaceful democratic process and a steady return to economic progress. The timing and nature of the attack, officials noted, were calculated to disrupt this trajectory.

Key Decisions Taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS):

  • Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty:
    The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 is being held in abeyance with immediate effect. It will remain suspended until Pakistan credibly and irreversibly ends its support for cross-border terrorism.
  • Closure of Integrated Check Post at Attari:
    The Attari Check Post has been ordered shut down immediately. However, individuals who crossed over with valid documentation may return through this route before May 1, 2025.
  • SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) Cancelled for Pakistan:
    Pakistani nationals will no longer be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. All previously issued SVES visas to Pakistani nationals stand cancelled.
  • Expulsion of Pakistani Military Attachés:
    The Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors at the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared Persona Non Grata. They have one week to leave India. Simultaneously, India will withdraw its own Defence/Military advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
  • Reduction of Diplomatic Presence:
    The total strength of both High Commissions will be reduced from 55 to 30 personnel each, to be implemented by May 1, 2025.

In addition to these actions, the CCS has directed all national and local security forces to maintain a heightened state of alert. It reaffirmed the government’s unwavering resolve to ensure that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack and their sponsors are brought to justice. Drawing parallels with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, the CCS emphasized India’s commitment to track, capture, and prosecute all individuals involved in orchestrating acts of terror against the country.

A Dastardly Act of Religious Hatred and Brutality

The Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22 was not just an assault on civilians—it was a calculated act of religious hate and inhuman cruelty. According to multiple eyewitness accounts, the terrorists singled out victims based on their religion, marking them before executing them at point-blank range. Those who could not recite the kalma, their pants and innerware were pulled down to identify their religious identity before they were gunned down in front of their wives, children, and other family members, adding to the trauma and horror of the incident. The victims were mainly tourists—ordinary people who had no means to defend themselves. What beats imagination and points a finger at a major security and intelligence lapse, especially on the part of a democratically elected government, for the total absence of security personnel from such a crowded tourist destination. There should be a thorough probe, the guilty will have to be identified, and heads should roll.

This act of savagery, staged in one of India’s most picturesque spots close to Amarnath – one of the most spiritually revered destinations of the Hindus, has sent shockwaves through the nation and the international community. It was a deliberate attempt to shatter communal harmony, instill fear, and derail the democratic, inclusive, and developmental progress of the region. India has made it clear—this attack will not go unavenged.

After the dastardly terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir, the Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided that the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 will be kept in abeyance – Check this old video on the genesis of Indus Treaty–