A day after India announced a slew of measures against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, Islamabad on Thursday said any attempt by New Delhi to block the flow of water to it would be deemed an act of war.
The rejection came after a meeting of Pakistan’s National Security Council, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, to decide how the country would respond to India’s actions. In a statement, Pakistan said that suspending the treaty would cut off a critical water supply that supports 240 million people, and warned of strong countermeasures.
The Prime Minister’s Office said that any threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty or the safety of its citizens would be met with firm action in all areas. It accused India of using the Pahalgam attack to promote its political agenda and warned that any move to block or divert water from the rivers covered under the treaty would be treated as an act of war and would trigger a full-spectrum response from Pakistan’s national power.
Pakistan also announced that it would suspend all bilateral agreements with India, including the 1972 Simla Agreement, until India stops what it described as promoting terrorism inside Pakistan, carrying out cross-border killings, and ignoring international law and UN resolutions on Kashmir.
As part of its response, Pakistan shut down its airspace for Indian flights and closed the Wagah border crossing. It also suspended all trade with India, including routes that operate through third countries. According to the official statement, anyone who had entered Pakistan through the Wagah crossing with valid documents must return by April 30.
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In addition, Pakistan suspended visa privileges for Indian nationals under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, with the exception of Sikh religious pilgrims. Indian citizens currently in Pakistan under this scheme were told to leave the country within 48 hours, except for those on religious pilgrimages.
On the same day, India announced that it would stop issuing visas to Pakistani nationals starting April 27. The Ministry of External Affairs said that all valid visas issued to Pakistani citizens would be cancelled from that date, with the exception of medical visas, which will remain valid only until April 29.
The ministry also advised all Pakistani nationals in India to leave before their visas expire and urged Indian citizens to avoid travelling to Pakistan, recommending that those already in the country return as soon as possible.
India had already taken a series of steps on Wednesday in response to the Pahalgam attack, which included downgrading diplomatic ties, expelling Pakistani military attachés, suspending the Indus Water Treaty, and closing the Attari land-transit point.
These actions were taken after the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was briefed on the suspected cross-border links to the attack. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that the measures would remain in place until Pakistan stops supporting terrorism across the border.
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