Govt Suspends Indus Water Treaty, to Expel Defence Staff at Pak Mission

CCS Meets Day After Deadly Pahalgam Attack, Also Decides to Shut Attari Crossing, Cancel SAARC Visa Exemption for Pak Nationals

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

In response to the terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 tourists dead, the government this evening decided on a series of robust measures to hold Pakistan accountable for its role in cross-border terrorism.

Among other measures, the Cabinet Committee on Security that met this evening led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to suspend the Indus water treaty, cancel SAARC visas of Pakistan nationals and expel defence staff posted at the Pakistan High Commission.

The CCS also decided to close the Atari border.

The CCS met for over two hours on Wednesday evening to assess and deliberate on follow-up actions to the audacious attack on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on Tuesday. The attack resulted in 26 fatalities and left 17 injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had cut short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia to return to Delhi on Wednesday, chaired the meeting which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

The National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh were also present in the meeting.

In one of the most significant decisions, India has placed the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance with immediate effect. This move effectively halts decades of cooperation on water-sharing between India and Pakistan. The decision will remain in force until Pakistan takes credible and irrevocable steps to abjure its support for cross-border terrorism.