New Delhi: India Wednesday declared three defence advisers from Pakistan as persona non grata, downgraded the strength of both countries’ missions, and asked Pakistani nationals in the country on two specific visas to leave, as part of its diplomatic retaliation after the deadly terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) also announced that the Indus Water Treaty will be held in abeyance “until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”, announced Vikram Misri, India’s foreign secretary, at a special briefing.
“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 the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development,” Misri said.
This is the first instance where the Indian government has publicly stated that there is a cross-border link in the Pahalgam attack Tuesday, which left 25 Indians and a foreign national dead Tuesday.
The CCS as a part of its diplomatic retaliation announced five steps directed against Islamabad. These included the downgrading of staff at each other’s missions to 30, from the current level of 55.
By holding the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, India may not need to follow the agreed terms and conditions. The treaty, signed in 1960, has survived the conflicts of 1965, 1971, 1999 and even the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. By announcing its decision, India has upended one of the most enduring diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Declared persona non grata, the defence, naval and air advisers in New Delhi have been given a week to leave India, said Misri, adding that India will be withdrawing its own advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, and these posts in the respective High Commissions have been deemed annulled. Five support staff of the service advisers will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions, added the foreign secretary.
Amongst the other decisions, Misri announced that “the Integrated Check Post Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 1 May 2025.”
Pakistani nationals who entered India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas (SVES) will need to leave within the next forty-eight hours.
“The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. 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,” said Misri.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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