New Delhi: In line with decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India Thursday revoked with effect from 27 April all existing valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals and also suspended issuing new visas with immediate effect.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also “strongly” advised Indians to avoid travelling to Pakistan, and those currently in the neighbouring country to return at the earliest.
In a statement, the MEA said, “In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025.”
The statement added, “Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till 29 April 2025. All Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave India before the expiry of visas, as now amended. Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid travelling to Pakistan. Those Indian nationals currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India at the earliest.”
Addressing the media here Wednesday evening after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had announced the cancellation of visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), and also the closure of the Attari border.
“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 01 May 2025…Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India,” he had said during the special briefing.
The punitive action by New Delhi comes after 25 Indians and one foreign national were gunned down in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a National Security Committee meeting Thursday, where Islamabad has announced a raft of tit-for-tat measures including the closure of the Wagah border, and allowing Indian nationals, who have entered the country through this border to return by 30 April.
Apart from the cancellations of visas, New Delhi also announced a number of diplomatic actions, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty in “abeyance”, expelling three defence advisers and annulling the post in Islamabad’s mission in India and decreasing the number of staff at missions from 55 to 30.
At least 26 people were killed in the 22 April terror attack at a tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Sources in the security establishment have said the attacks were executed by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)