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Visa suspensions, airspace closures: terror attack creates tension between India, Pakistan

Indian authorities have nearly halved the size of their embassy in Islamabad, declared military advisers to Pakistan's diplomatic mission in India personae non gratae, and closed the key Attari checkpoint on the border with Pakistan

© Kyodo via Reuters Connect

ISLAMABAD, April 24. /TASS/. Tensions between Pakistan and India have escalated after a terrorist attack in India's union territory of Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people. After the terrorist attack, the Indian authorities took a number of measures. In particular, they immediately suspended the issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens and intend to cancel any ones previously issued starting on April 27. Pakistan's National Security Council made a number of decisions in retaliation, one of which was closing its airspace to Indian and Indian-owned airlines.

TASS has compiled the main information on the strained relations between the two countries.

Pahalgam terrorist attack

- On April 22, gunmen went on a shooting rampage in the popular tourist town of Pahalgam (In India’s union territory of Jammu and Kashmir).

- Twenty-five Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen were killed, and many were injured.

- The attackers managed to escape.

- The Times of India reported, citing Indian intelligence sources, that the attack on civilians in Pahalgam was carried out by militants of the Resistance Front, the sabotage wing of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba radical group (banned in Russia).

- Indian intelligence agencies have found evidence that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence was involved in the Pahalgam terrorist attack, The Hindustan Times reported, citing sources.

- Indian police have identified the suspects in the attack. Two of the three suspects are Pakistani nationals, the ANI news agency reported, citing law enforcement officials.

India's response

- Indian authorities have nearly halved the size of their embassy in Islamabad, declared military advisers to Pakistan's diplomatic mission in India personae non gratae, and closed the key Attari checkpoint on the border with Pakistan.

- New Delhi also suspended its water-sharing agreement with Islamabad.

- The Indian government also decided to immediately suspend the issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals and cancel those already issued as of April 27.

Pakistan's response

- Pakistan's National Security Council slammed India's response to the terrorist attack in Kashmir as unjust and politically motivated.

- The agency said that it would suspend all bilateral agreements with India.

- The Council also rejected India's statement on the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and would consider any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to the country as an act of war.

- Islamabad has also closed its airspace to Indian and Indian-owned airlines and closed the Wagah checkpoint on the border with India.

- Pakistan has also declared Indian defense, naval, and aviation advisors personae non gratae.

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