Pahalgam Terror Attack: Indus Water Treaty Put On Hold, Visa Ban On Pakistanis — Top Decisions By CCS

The Centre has decided to hold the 1950 Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance until further notice in the wake of the Pahalgam Terror Attack. The CCS meeting, held in the aftermath of the attack, also decided to suspend all Visa exemptions under the SAARC visa exemptions. 

The Cabinet Committee on Security was held at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, in Delhi.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Sethi detailed the CCS decisions in a press briefing after the CCS meeting. "The Indus Water Treaty will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. The integrated checkpost at Attari will be closed with immediate effect," he said.

Sethi said those who have already crossed over legally may return by May 1. He further said that Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemptions. "Any SBEAS visas issued in the past to Pakistanis are deemed cancelled," he said. Any Pakistani with such visa should leave within 48 hours.

He also said that the defence military and naval advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi are henceforth "persona non grata", meaning their stay is no longer welcome. They have been given a week's time to evacuate India. Sethi further said that Indian defence, navy, and air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

He said the strength of both the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from 55 by May 1.

"The CCS has resolved that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack will be brought to justice and its sponsors held to account," Sethi said.

The Cabinet Committee on Security, or CCS, is the top panel that makes decisions on India's security policy. Among the CCS panellists are Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar.

The CCS meeting went on for nearly three hours.

What Happened In Pahalgam On April 22?

Terrorists on Tuesday, April 22, unleashed violence in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people — most of them tourists — and injuring more than 20. The attack, which unfolded in the picturesque Anantnag district, marks the deadliest assault on civilians in the region since the 2019 Pulwama tragedy.

Terrorists belonging to 'The Resistance Front', an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, opened fire on tourists. The terrorists shot people after identifying their religion.

What Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Said

In the aftermath of a devastating terror attack that shook the nation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a powerful message: India will track down every perpetrator and mastermind behind the assault — no matter where they hide.

Singh, while speaking at an event in New Delhi on Wednesday, slammed the assault and reaffirmed India's zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.

"Those who carried out this heinous crime will be hunted down," Rajnath Singh. "And so will those who orchestrated it from behind the scenes. Our resolve is clear — we shall not rest until justice is served."

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's convoy exits the PM residence after the CCS meeting: 

The Defence Minister's comments came just hours after he chaired a high-powered security review meeting with the nation's top defence and intelligence officials. Among those present were National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal AK Singh. According to sources, the nearly two-and-a-half-hour session focused on stepping up military readiness and intensifying counter-terror operations across the Kashmir Valley.

The brazen daylight attack has sparked nationwide outrage and prompted swift, high-level responses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), strongly condemned the incident.

"They will not be spared. Their evil agenda will never succeed," the Prime Minister declared. "Our commitment to fighting terrorism is unwavering, and it will only grow stronger."

 

 

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