PM Modi Holds CSC Meeting, Takes Number Of Decisions Including Shutting Wagah-Attari Checkpost
New Delhi: India on Wednesday announced a slew of stringent diplomatic measures against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead and among other put in abeyance Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)— a key water-sharing agreement brokered in 1960.
“CCS condemned Pahalgam attack in strongest terms and expressed its deepest condolences to families of victims,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ Secretary Misri announced during a press briefing that Pakistani visas will be cancelled while the Wagah-Attari border will be closed with immediate effect. Moreover, the Indus Water Treaty between the two countries will also be suspended with immediate effect.
Key decisions
1. Indus Water Treaty to be kept in abeyance with immediate effect till Pakistan stops cross border terrorism
2. Integrated checkpost Wagah-Attari will be closed with immediate effect.
3. Pakistanis in India to return before May 1. Visas cancelled for Pakistanis.
4. No SAARC visas for Pakistani nationals.
5. High Commission staff strength reduced to 30.
6.Defence, military, naval, air advisors declared persona non grata
7. India suspends Pakistani diplomats.
8. India to withdraw its military attaches from Pakistan.
Among others, Indus Water Treaty has been kept in abeyance with immediate effect till Pakistan stops cross border terrorism; Integrated checkpost Wagah-Attari will be closed with immediate effect; Pakistanis in India to return before May 1; Visas cancelled for Pakistanis; No SAARC visas for Pakistani nationals; High Commission staff strength reduced to 30; Defence, military, naval, air advisors declared persona non grata; India suspends Pakistani diplomats and India will withdraw its military attaches from Pakistan.
The decisions followed after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to take stock of the situation and deliberate on the government’s strategy.
Besides the prime minister, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were present at the meeting, along with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and senior bureaucrats.
Shah briefed the prime minister on the attack and discussed the measures to be taken in its aftermath.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is also part of the CCS, could not attend the meeting as she is on her way back from the United States after cutting short her official visit in the wake of the terror attack.
Among those also present at the meeting were Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misry, besides the prime minister’s two principal secretaries P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das.
Prime Minister Modi returned early Wednesday from Saudi Arabia, cutting short his visit. He held a meeting at the airport soon after his arrival where he discussed the J-K terror attack with Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry was also part of the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Amit Shah visited Baisaran in Pahalgam, the site where terrorists struck on Tuesday evening, as well as the hospital where some of the injured were being treated.