Pahalgam Terror Attack: India Cancels Visas, Shuts Border, Suspends Indus Waters Treaty With Pakistan

India on Wednesday suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and shut the Wagah-Attari border crossing, following a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people. The decision came after a two-and-a-half-hour meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting in New Delhi. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the Cabinet strongly condemned the attack and extended condolences to the families of those killed. He said the government had taken serious note of the incident and decided on a series of diplomatic and security measures.

India will suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 with immediate effect. The suspension will remain in place until Pakistan permanently ends its support for cross-border terrorism. The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 and facilitated by the World Bank. It allocated the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum and Chenab—to Pakistan and the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—to India.

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India also declared the defence, military, naval and air advisors in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata. These diplomats have been given one week to leave the country. India will also withdraw its own defence and service advisors from its High Commission in Islamabad. The government has cancelled all visas issued to Pakistani nationals under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. Misri said Pakistani citizens in India under this scheme must leave within 48 hours.

India also closed the integrated checkpost at Attari, the only road crossing between the two countries open to passengers. Those who crossed with valid endorsements will be allowed to return through the same route before 1 May 2025. The Wagah-Attari border has long served as a symbolic and functional link between the two countries. It will now be shut as part of India’s response to the latest terror attack.

“Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack. The CCS decided upon the following measures: (1) The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support to cross border terrorism. (2)The Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP) will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025. (3) Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani nationals, currently in India under SVES visa, have 48 hours to leave India,” Misri said as quoted by PTI.