Announces raft of measures; all-party meeting to be held today
New Delhi: India on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the over six-decade-old Indus Water Treaty and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack.
A day after the brazen attack that killed 26 civilians, the cabinet committee on security (CCS) met on Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and firmed up New Delhi’s retaliatory measures to the dastardly strike and directed the security forces to maintain high vigil.
At a late evening media briefing, foreign secretary Vikram Misri announcing the decisions said the overall strength of the Pakistani and Indian high commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by May 1.
The new retaliatory measures shut down the few existing diplomatic mechanisms between the two sides taking bilateral relations to yet another new low.
The foreign secretary said the CCS resolved that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account.
Misri said the CCS was given a briefing on the incident including the “cross-border linkages” of the terrorist attack.
Misri said “the defence, military, naval and air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared persona non grata” and they have a week to leave India.
India will be withdrawing its own defence, navy and air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, he said.
“These posts in the respective high commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the service advisors will also be withdrawn from both high commissions,” he said.
The CCS that lasted for two-and-a-half hours decided to close the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect. It is the only operational land border crossing between the two countries.
Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemption scheme and any such visas issued in the past to Pakistanis are deemed cancelled, Misri said.
The CCS decided that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism, he said.
On closing of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, Misri said those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1.
The CCS was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack on Tuesday in Pahalgam that left 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen dead, he said.
“A number of others sustained injuries. The CCS condemned the attack in the strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and hoped for the early recovery of the injured,” Misri said.
“Strong expressions of support and solidarity have been received from many governments around the world, which have unequivocally condemned this terror attack,” he said.
In the briefing to the CCS, the cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack were brought out, he said.
“It was noted that this attack came in the wake of the successful holding of elections in the Union territory (Jammu and Kashmir) and its steady progress towards economic growth and development,” he said.
Misri said the CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil.
“It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account,” he said.
Security agencies on Wednesday released sketches of three Pakistani terrorists as anguished families said adieu to the men they had loved and lost.
The government will be calling an all-party meeting on Thursday in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam, official sources said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to chair it, they said.
Home Minister Amit Shah and Singh are speaking to leaders of various parties on the issue, the sources said.
Several Opposition parties, including the Congress, had demanded that the government should convene a meeting of all parties over the issue.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister, who cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia, met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and national security advisor Ajit Doval at the airport itself. In the evening, he chaired the CCS meeting.
“People responsible for such acts will get a strong response in the near future,” the Defence Minister said.
Reflecting the government’s resolve in the face of the deadliest terror attack since the Pulwama strike and the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, he added, “We will not only trace those who perpetrated the attack but also trace those who conspired to commit this nefarious act on our soil.”
Singh also reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, defence secretary and the director general of military operations.
It is learnt that Singh directed the armed forces to enhance their combat readiness and increase intensity of anti-terror operations.
It was a day of hushed silences, angry discussions and cries of despair as an entire nation mourned those killed in the brazen attack targeting holidayers in the scenic expanse of the Baisaran meadow, six kilometres from Pahalgam.
Other ministers, including the Union Home Minister, also issued strong statements.
Shah, who visited Baisaran, met the injured in hospital and chaired security review meetings, also signalled the intent of the government.
“Bharat will not bow to terror. The culprits of this dastardly terror attack will not be spared,” he said. Those behind the Pahalgam atrocity will face severe consequences, Shah added.
Infiltration bid foiled in J&K; 2 militants killed
Srinagar: Two terrorists were killed on Wednesday as an infiltration attempt was foiled by security forces along the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said.
The infiltration bid came less than 24 hours after a deadly terror attack at Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district left 26 people dead, mostly tourists.
The Army said the infiltration bid was foiled in Uri Nala of the north Kashmir district.
“At approximately 0100 hrs, alert troops deployed along the line of control (LoC) detected suspicious movement of unidentified persons attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory.
“The infiltrators were challenged and engaged, resulting in a heavy exchange of fire,” the Army said in a statement.
In the ensuing encounter, it said two terrorists were neutralised.
“Two AK series rifles, a Chinese pistol and 10 kg of IED with other war-like stores have been recovered from the encounter site,” the Army said.
Meanwhile, a gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Tangmarg area of Kulgam district following information about the presence of ultras there. An encounter broke out after the terrorists opened fire on the security personnel, they said.
No casualties have been reported in the exchange of fire so far, the officials said.
