Pahalgam attack: India stops visa service for Pakistani citizens, what steps did India take against Pakistan?

Pahalgam attack: India stops visa service for Pakistani citizens, what steps did India take against Pakistan?

Thursday, 24 April 2025

India on Thursday, 24 April 2025 announced the suspension of visa services for Pakistani citizens with immediate effect.

Giving this information, the Indian Foreign Ministry said, "The decision has been taken in view of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam." The Indian Foreign Ministry said that all the existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani citizens will be considered canceled from 27 April 2025. Medical visas issued to Pakistani citizens will be valid only till 29 April 2025. Indian citizens are advised not to travel to Pakistan. All Indian citizens who are currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India as soon as possible."

On Tuesday, 22 April 2025, terrorists attacked Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir and killed 26 people. Many were injured. Most of the people killed were tourists.

Pahalgam is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Kashmir.

What steps did India take against Pakistan?

On Wednesday, 23 April 2025, the Cabinet of Security Affairs headed by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in New Delhi Many decisions were taken in the meeting of the Committee (CCS).

India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that cross border linkages of this terrorist attack have been found. After this, India informed about the decisions taken in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security Affairs.

Many decisions were taken in this meeting, including suspending the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and closing the Attari border. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed about the decisions taken in the CCS meeting.

India has decided to suspend the 1960 Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan with immediate effect. This decision will remain in force until Pakistan stops supporting cross-border terrorism in a credible manner.

India has also decided to close the Attari Integrated Check Post with immediate effect. The government has said that those who have come here on the basis of valid documents can go back through this route before 1 May 2025.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that now Pakistani citizens will not be able to travel to India on the basis of visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). Visas previously issued to Pakistani citizens under SVES will be considered cancelled. All Pakistani citizens who are in India under SVES will have to leave India within 48 hours.

The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Force advisers of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata. They have been given a week's time to leave India. India is also recalling the Defence/Military, Naval and Air Force advisers of its High Commission in Islamabad. These posts will be considered abolished in both the High Commissions.

Five support staff of these military advisers will also be withdrawn from both the High Commissions.

The number of employees in the High Commissions will be gradually reduced from 55 to 30. This decision will come into effect from May 1, 2025.

The CCS reviewed the security situation in India and asked the security forces to remain extremely vigilant.

It was said in the meeting that strict action will be taken against those who conspired for the Pahalgam attack.