NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday took raft of diplomatic measures against Pakistan for supporting cross-border terrorism after a brutal attack on Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam which claimed 28 lives.
India accused Islamabad of supporting cross-border terrorism and suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, shut the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect, and halted Pakistani access to travel under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Any such visas issued earlier have been cancelled, and Pakistani nationals under SVES have 48 hours to leave.
Ministry of external affairs said that the attacks came “in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development.”
Here are the top updates
India hands over expulsion note to top Pakistan diplomat
India summoned Pakistan's top diplomat Saad Ahmad Warraich late at night and handed over the formal Persona non grata note for its military diplomats following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 28 innocent lives, including 26 Indians and two foreign tourists, news agency ANI reported citing sources.
India had last downgraded diplomatic ties in 2020 by reducing the mission strength to half of what it was earlier.
Earlier, defence minister Rajnath Singh had assured the nation of a "loud and clear" response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 28 people, mostly tourists.
Pakistan to chart response
Pakistan’s top political and military leadership is set to huddle up to formulate a response to India’s sweeping measures following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 28 lives, including 26 Indians and two foreign tourists.
“A session of the National Security Committee will be held under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif said.
He added that decisions would be taken to give “an appropriate response to the Indian steps.” The meeting will be attended by all services chiefs and key cabinet ministers.
All party meet likely today
The Centre will brief leaders of various political parties on the Pahalgam terror attack and hear their views at an all-party meeting to be held Defence minister Rajnath Singh and home minister Amit Shah are expected to brief the leaders, official sources said. Singh will chair the meeting. Sources said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar may also speak at the meeting.
The decision to call an all-party meeting was taken on Wednesday, with Singh and Shah reaching out to various parties.
There has been a convention for calling an all-party meeting following an incident with serious repercussions related to national security, as was seen after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 or during the India-China standoff in 2020.
Rs 20 lakh reward announced for info on terrorists
The Anantnag Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh for any information leading to the neutralisation of terrorists involved in this cowardly attack.
Rahul Gandhi cuts short his US visit
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached New Delhi in the early hours of Thursday after cutting short his visit to the US in the aftermath of the terror attack. Rahul will attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, at around 10.30 am.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to X and said, "Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi has cut short his US visit and will be attending in person the CWC meeting in New Delhi tomorrow at 10:30 am."
Airlines operate 59 flights from Srinagar; airfares kept at reasonable levels
Airlines operated 59 flights from Srinagar, including seven additional services, to ferry tourists and bodies of 25 Pahalgam terror attack victims to their destinations along with 123 accompanying family members.
The civil aviation ministry said air ticket prices on the route were being kept at reasonable levels amid a large number of tourists looking to return from Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the terror attack, the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama incident.
J&K LG holds security review meeting
Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha held a security review meeting to ensure that the directions passed by Union home minister Amit Shah are swiftly followed to bring those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack to justice.
During the meeting, Sinha informed that the home minister has directed that all possible force must be used to take the strongest possible action against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, and that the entire ecosystem of terrorism must be dismantled, sources said.
Sinha said that the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remains fully committed to avenging the killing of innocent citizens and ensuring that such dastardly acts of terrorism do not recur.
Nothing can compensate for the innocent lives lost in the heinous terror attack, he added.
India accused Islamabad of supporting cross-border terrorism and suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, shut the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect, and halted Pakistani access to travel under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Any such visas issued earlier have been cancelled, and Pakistani nationals under SVES have 48 hours to leave.
Ministry of external affairs said that the attacks came “in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union Territory and its steady progress towards economic growth and development.”
Here are the top updates
India hands over expulsion note to top Pakistan diplomat
India summoned Pakistan's top diplomat Saad Ahmad Warraich late at night and handed over the formal Persona non grata note for its military diplomats following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 28 innocent lives, including 26 Indians and two foreign tourists, news agency ANI reported citing sources.
India had last downgraded diplomatic ties in 2020 by reducing the mission strength to half of what it was earlier.
Earlier, defence minister Rajnath Singh had assured the nation of a "loud and clear" response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 28 people, mostly tourists.
Pakistan to chart response
Pakistan’s top political and military leadership is set to huddle up to formulate a response to India’s sweeping measures following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 28 lives, including 26 Indians and two foreign tourists.
“A session of the National Security Committee will be held under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif said.
He added that decisions would be taken to give “an appropriate response to the Indian steps.” The meeting will be attended by all services chiefs and key cabinet ministers.
All party meet likely today
The Centre will brief leaders of various political parties on the Pahalgam terror attack and hear their views at an all-party meeting to be held Defence minister Rajnath Singh and home minister Amit Shah are expected to brief the leaders, official sources said. Singh will chair the meeting. Sources said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar may also speak at the meeting.
The decision to call an all-party meeting was taken on Wednesday, with Singh and Shah reaching out to various parties.
There has been a convention for calling an all-party meeting following an incident with serious repercussions related to national security, as was seen after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019 or during the India-China standoff in 2020.
Rs 20 lakh reward announced for info on terrorists
The Anantnag Police has announced a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh for any information leading to the neutralisation of terrorists involved in this cowardly attack.
Rahul Gandhi cuts short his US visit
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached New Delhi in the early hours of Thursday after cutting short his visit to the US in the aftermath of the terror attack. Rahul will attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, at around 10.30 am.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to X and said, "Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi has cut short his US visit and will be attending in person the CWC meeting in New Delhi tomorrow at 10:30 am."
Airlines operate 59 flights from Srinagar; airfares kept at reasonable levels
Airlines operated 59 flights from Srinagar, including seven additional services, to ferry tourists and bodies of 25 Pahalgam terror attack victims to their destinations along with 123 accompanying family members.
The civil aviation ministry said air ticket prices on the route were being kept at reasonable levels amid a large number of tourists looking to return from Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the terror attack, the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama incident.
J&K LG holds security review meeting
Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha held a security review meeting to ensure that the directions passed by Union home minister Amit Shah are swiftly followed to bring those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack to justice.
During the meeting, Sinha informed that the home minister has directed that all possible force must be used to take the strongest possible action against the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack, and that the entire ecosystem of terrorism must be dismantled, sources said.
Sinha said that the Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remains fully committed to avenging the killing of innocent citizens and ensuring that such dastardly acts of terrorism do not recur.
Nothing can compensate for the innocent lives lost in the heinous terror attack, he added.
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