Pakistan PM calls emergency NSC meeting after India's suspension of Indus Waters Treaty

Islamabad, April 24 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday, after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and announced a series of immediate and strict measures in the wake of deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam targeting tourists, who were brutally killed in an ambush attack after confirming if they were Hindus or Muslims.

The tragic incident has left at least 27 Indian tourists killed while at least 17 others are injured.

Pakistan maintains that India's actions lack seriousness, asserting that Islamabad would give a strong response after the NSC emergency meeting.

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar criticised India's latest announcement of suspending the IWT, shutting down the Wagah-Attari border, cancelling visas for Pakistanis, along with other measures, terming them as "unserious and inappropriate".

"India has failed to provide any evidence linking Pakistan to recent terrorist incidents and appears to be reacting out of anger. Its announcements reflect a lack of seriousness," Dar said.

"India throws the blame on Pakistan whenever it faces a crisis," he added.

In the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, New Delhi announced a series of immediate measures being undertaken against Pakistan.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that decisions were taken after a briefing to the Union Cabinet about the terror attack.

"The Indus Water Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism," Misri said.

Moreover, Misri announced that the Wagah-Attari border crossing will be shut down effective immediately, a primary point of trade and civilian movement between India and Pakistan, a ban on Pakistani nationals from entering India has been imposed while those Pakistanis currently in India have been given 48 hours to leave the country.

The Indian Foreign Secretary announced that all Pakistani military advisors, including those from the Air Force, Army and Navy, stationed at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi will be expelled, given them one week to leave the country.

Moreover, India is also calling back its three military service advisors and at least five auxiliary staff members from its High Commission in Islamabad.

Misri said that it has also been decided in the Cabinet meeting that "Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas".

"Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India," he added.

India has also decided to reduce the overall strength of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad from 55 to 30.

India's strong reaction to the Pahalgam terror attack has prompted Pakistan to formulate its official response, for which NSC emergency meeting has been called by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

"India's statements are inappropriate, and the NSC will issue a comprehensive response," said Pakistan's Deputy PM Ishaq Dar.

"It is not appropriate to vent anger over terrorism on Pakistan. If India has any evidence instead of mere accusations, it should present it," said Dar, asserting that Pakistan would give a fitting response to New Delhi's actions.

Pakistan's Power Minister Awais Leghari termed India's announcement of suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as a reckless act of water warfare and an illegal move.

"Every drop is ours by right, and we will defend it with full force, legally, politically, and globally," Leghari said.

--IANS

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