24/04/2025
A day after India announced a slew of measures against Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan on Thursday (April 24) said any attempt by India to block the flow of water to it would be deemed an act of war.
Following a National Security Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to formulate the country's response to India's measures, Pakistan stated that the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty would block the 'lifeline for 240 million Pakistanis'.
"Any threat to Pakistan's sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains. India should refrain from its reflexive blame game and cynical staged, managed exploitation of incidents like Pahalgam to further its narrow political agenda," the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
"Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty, and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian will be considered as an Act of War and responded with full force across the complete spectrum of National Power," the statement said.
Pakistan also blocked the airspace for Indian airlines and closed the Wagah border crossing. It also suspended 'all trade' routes with India, including those through third countries.
Pakistan also suspended visas issued to Indian nationals under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) except for Sikh religious pilgrims.
"Indian nationals currently in Pakistan under SVES are instructed to exit within 48 hours, less Sikh pilgrims," the PMO said.
Pakistan also restricted the Indian High Commission’s staff in Islamabad to a maximum of 30 personnel, effective from April 30.
Pakistan further said that it "shall exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India, including but not limited to the Simla Agreement in abeyance till India desists from its manifested behaviour of fomenting terrorism inside Pakistan; trans-national killings; and non-adherence to international law and UN Resolutions on Kashmir."