India downgrades diplomatic ties with Pak

• Military, naval & air advisors to be withdrawn from High Commission

- Deeptiman Tiwary, Mahender Singh Manral & Basharat Masood New Delhi, Srinagar, April 23

INDIA ON WEDNESDAY suspended the Indus Water Treaty and announced downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan, including expulsion of its military attaches in view of cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met this evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and firmed up the responses to the terror attack. The CCS also decided to close the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said at a late evening press briefing. It is learnt that the CCS lasted for around two and a half hours.

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 Pakistani nationals 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.