Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) for Thursday morning in response to the Indian government’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, along with other announcements following an attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The announcement was confirmed by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in a late-night post on X, formerly Twitter.
The NSC – Pakistan’s highest forum for security and foreign policy matters – will convene to formulate an official response. The NSC includes military chiefs, intelligence heads, and key cabinet ministers.
India’s top career diplomat earlier Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi that the border crossing at Attari-Wagah border “will be closed with immediate effect”, adding that those with valid travel documents may return before May 1.
India stalls Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan with immediate effect
“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”, Vikram Misri told reporters in New Delhi, apparently blaming Pakistan for the Tuesday’s attack in which twenty-six people were killed and 17 were injured when gunmen opened fire at tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam area.
The defence advisers in the Pakistani high commission in New Delhi were declared persona non grata and asked to leave, Misri said, adding that the overall strength of the Indian high commission in Islamabad will be reduced to 30 from 55.
The main border crossing checkpost between the two countries will be closed with immediate effect and Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to travel to India under special visas, Misri said.
Pakistan said on Wednesday that it was concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of the IIOJK.
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