India has taken a series of strong measures following the Pahalgam terror attack, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, and closing the Integrated Check Post Attari with immediate effect. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) reviewed the overall security situation in its meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence last evening and directed all forces to maintain high vigil.
Briefing media in New Delhi last night, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. He further stated that any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. He said any Pakistani national currently in India under an SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India. The Foreign Secretary informed that the Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared Persona Non Grata. He emphasised that they have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Mr Misri stated that these posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.
Foreign Secretary said, the overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions by 1st May. Mr Misri said the CCS, chaired by Prime Minister Modi, was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack that took place on Tuesday in Pahalgam. In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out. It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in Jammu and Kashmir and its steady progress towards economic growth and development. The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured.
Strong expressions of support and solidarity have been received from many Governments around the world, which have unequivocally condemned this terror attack. The CCS recorded its appreciation for such sentiments, which reflect zero tolerance for terrorism.
