New Delhi: In a significant move following the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening, India decided to ban the entry of Pakistani nationals into the country.

Addressing the media after the high-level meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced India is suspending the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 with Pakistan. “The treaty will be held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for the cross-border terrorism,” he said.

Additionally, he stated Pakistani nationals will no longer be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas.

“Any SVES visa issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national holding such visas is in India has 48 hours to leave India,” Misri added.

The Foreign Secretary further stated the integrated check post at Wagah-Attari border will be closed with immediate effect. “Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025,” he added.

The defence, military, naval and air advisers in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared persona non-grata and were asked to leave India in a week. India will be withdrawing its own defence, navy and air advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. “These posts in the respective high commissions are deemed annulled,” he informed. 

Five support staff of the service advisors will also be withdrawn from both the high commissions, he said.

The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions to be effected by May 1, 2025, he further informed.

"It resolved that perpetrators of this attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror or conspired to make them possible," said Misri.

The Cabinet Committee on Security meeting held at the Prime Minister’s residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi.

Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah, Defence minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were part of the meet which lasted for nearly 2.5 hours.

The CCS condemned the Pahalgam attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali were killed. It expressed condolences to the bereaved families.

Also read: Pahalgam terror attack: Odisha youth among over 26 killed in Jammu and Kashmir

In the terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam of Anantnag district, a 41-year-old youth from Balasore, Odisha was among the victims.

The deceased Odia youth, Prasant Kumar Satpathy, hailed from Ishani village in Balasore district. He had travelled to Jammu and Kashmir with his wife and son on April 19 for a vacation.