A day after the attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and firmed up New Delhi's retaliatory measures to the dastardly strike
India will be withdrawing its own defence, navy and air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
India downgraded its diplomatic ties with Pakistan on Wednesday and announced a raft of measures, including the expulsion of Pakistani military attachés, suspension of the over six-decade-old Indus Water Treaty, as well as the immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post, in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack, reported news agency PTI.
A day after the attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met on Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and firmed up New Delhi's retaliatory measures to the dastardly strike, and directed the security forces to maintain high vigil.
At a late evening media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the decisions taken during the meeting and stated that the overall strength of the Pakistani and Indian high commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 from May 1.
The new retaliatory measures shut down the few existing diplomatic mechanisms between the two sides, taking bilateral relations to yet another new low, PTI reported.
The foreign secretary said the committee resolved that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account.
Misri said that the CCS was given a briefing on the incident, including the “cross-border linkages” of the attack, PTI reported.
Pak nationals can’t travel to India under SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme
He informed that “the defence, military, naval and air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata” and they will have to leave India in a week.
New Delhi will also be withdrawing its own defence, navy and air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, he added.
“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 Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions,” said Misri.
The CCS meeting, which lasted for two-and-a-half hours, decided to close the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect. It is the only operational land border crossing between the two countries.
Furthermore, Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and any such visas issued in the past to them are now deemed cancelled, Misri said.
“The CCS also decided that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism,” the foreign secretary said.
One Nepali citizen killed in Pahalgam attack
On the closing of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, Misri said those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1.
Of the 26 victims, one was a Nepali citizen, he informed.
“A number of others sustained injuries. 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,” Misri said.
“Strong expressions of support and solidarity have been received from many governments around the world, which have unequivocally condemned this terror attack,” he informed.
The foreign secretary said the CCS recorded its appreciation for such sentiments, which reflect zero tolerance for terrorism.
In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out, he said.
“It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory (Jammu and Kashmir) and its steady progress towards economic growth and development,” he said.
Misri said 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,” he said, adding, “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.”
(With PTI inputs)
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