India downgrades diplomatic relations with Pakistan after massacre
(MENAFN) In response to a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people, India has downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and implemented several retaliatory measures. The Cabinet Committee on Security, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, convened on Wednesday and decided on five key actions, including declaring Pakistan's defense advisors in India as persona non grata and reducing Pakistan’s diplomatic staff in India from 55 to 30. India will also withdraw its military advisors from the Pakistani High Commission.
Further retaliatory measures include canceling visas for Pakistani nationals under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, allowing travelers with valid endorsements a limited window to return before May 1, 2025. Additionally, India has suspended the Indus Water Treaty, a 1960 agreement governing the sharing of water from the Indus River system, until Pakistan ceases supporting cross-border terrorism.
The attack, which took place on Tuesday, involved militants opening fire on tourists in the Baisaran meadows, a popular tourist spot in Pahalgam, killing 26 people, including two foreign nationals, and injuring over 20 others. The Resistance Front, linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
India has long accused Pakistan of sponsoring cross-border terrorism, a charge that Islamabad denies. In response, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed condolences, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called a National Security Committee meeting to evaluate the situation.
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