Following the killing of 26 civilians in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India suspends the Indus Waters Treaty; Pakistan calls it an illegal provocation amid escalating diplomatic fallout.
Apr 24, 2025 |India’s bold decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, following the brutal Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, has triggered a severe diplomatic response from Pakistan. Calling the move “water warfare,” Pakistan’s power minister Awais Lekhari condemned the action as a cowardly and illegal escalation.
“India’s reckless suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is an act of water warfare; a cowardly, illegal move,” Lekhari posted on social media platform X late Wednesday night.
India’s Actions Post-Attack:
- 🇮🇳 Suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank.
- ❌ Closure of the Attari-Wagah border, halting land connectivity.
- 🛂 Visa cancellations for Pakistani nationals; SAARC exemptions revoked.
- 🚫 Pakistani defence personnel declared persona non grata, given a week to leave.
- 👥 Downsizing of Indian diplomatic staff in Islamabad from 55 to 30.
- 🧳 Advisory issued asking all Indian citizens in Pakistan to return home immediately.
Pakistan’s Countermoves:
- ❌ Closure of airspace to Indian airlines.
- 🛑 Total trade suspension with India, including third-country goods via Pakistan.
- 🏛 Holding of all bilateral agreements in abeyance, including Simla Accord.
- ⚠️ Threat of considering water obstructions as an “act of war”.
Global Diplomatic Briefings Underway
India has begun briefing top diplomats from the US, UK, EU, France, Russia, Japan, China, and others about the cross-border nature of the Pahalgam attack, as confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
An all-party meeting has been convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah will brief opposition leaders on the retaliatory steps and intelligence inputs.
PM Modi’s Statement in Bihar:
“India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. Terrorism will not go unpunished,”
— Prime Minister Narendra Modi
He also led a two-minute silence in memory of the victims and reiterated that India’s resolve against terrorism is unbreakable.
Tags:
Pahalgam terror attack, Indus Waters Treaty suspension, India Pakistan relations, water warfare, Awais Lekhari, PM Modi on terrorism, Vikram Misri, India Pakistan trade ban, diplomatic fallout, Attari border closed, all-party meeting Modi, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, cross-border terrorism