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Photograph: (PTI)

 

India unleashes diplomatic and strategic fury after terror attacks

 

Responding sharply to the ghastly terror attack in Pahalgan, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, including a foreign national, the Indian government has unleashed a spate of retaliatory measures against Pakistan.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met in New Delhi and took strong action in the wake of disclosures of ‘cross-border linkages’ in the attack, which was claimed by the Pakistan-based organisation The Resistance Front, a breakaway faction of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

 

Indus Water Treaty Put on Hold Indefinitely

 

One of the most important announcements made was the indefinite postponement of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a treaty that has stood the test of three India-Pakistan wars. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attested that the agreement would be kept in abeyance of cross-border ‘credibly and irrevocably’ puts an end to its patronage of cross-border terrorism. India, as the higher riparian country, should utilise this step tactfully to put pressure on Pakistan, which is already on the verge of a threatening water crisis.

Diplomatic Fallout: Visa Cancellations and Expulsion of Staff

 

In an additional debridement of bilateral relations, India has withdrawn all SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) facilities to Pakistani citizens. The SVES visas that have been previously given are now rendered null and void, and every Pakistani citizen in India under the scheme has to leave within 48 hours.

Additionally, defence and military officials stationed at both nations’ High Commissions have been declared persona non grata. These positions, including five support staff, have been abolished. India has also directed a drastic reduction in diplomatic staff numbers, from 55 to 30, at both missions, starting May 1, 2025.

Trade and Transit Suffocated

 

The Attari-Wagah border has been sealed with immediate effect. Travellers with a valid endorsement for travel can return by May 1. This, in effect, closes down an important land trade and transit link between two neighbours.

 

Blood and Water Can’t Flow Together

 

The CCS meeting underscored that the attack was planned shortly after peaceful elections were conducted in the Union Territory, highlighting Pakistan’s continued reliance on terrorism to destabilise India’s democratic and developmental processes.

Water Resources Minister CR Paatil designated the treaty suspension as a ‘very good decision,’ noting previous warnings from Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

 

Security Forces on High Alert

 

Aside from the diplomatic and strategic responses, the CCS has instructed all Indian Security organisations to remain extra vigilant. Foreign Secretary Misri reiterated that the sponsors and perpetrators will be brought to justice, reiterating India’s strong stand in the recent global extraditions like Tahawwur Rana.

The message from New Delhi is unambiguous: the attack in Pahalgam is a turning point, and the price of terrorism will now be paid with unflinching determination.