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Indus Water Treaty Put on Hold: India's Response to Pahalgam Attack

Apparently holding Pakistan responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, India on Wednesday April 23, 2025 suspended the Indus Water Treaty signed between the two countries in 1960

Thursday April 24, 2025 0:45 AM, ummid.com with inputs from Agencies

New Delhi: Apparently holding Pakistan responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, India on Wednesday April 23, 2025 suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) signed between the two countries in 1960.

The decision was taken at the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting headed by PM Modi today evening.

India's Response to Pahalgam Terror Attack

Besides suspending the IWT, India also barred Pakistani nationals from travelling to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, closure of Attari-Wagah Border, reduction of Pakistan High Commission staff strength and declared the Defence, Naval, and Air Advisers at the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata, giving them a week to exit India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

India also asked the Pakistani nationals currently in India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme to leave the country in the next 48 hours.

"Recognising the seriousness of the terrorist attack, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has decided these measures", Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told media.

Pakistan, however, said it has "nothing to do with the Pahalgam terror attack".

Indus Waters Treaty as a strategic tool

The Indus Water Treaty is a water-sharing agreement between Pakistan and India, facilitated by the World Bank. It gives India control over the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) of the Indus basin while it gives Pakistan authority over the three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab).

The water distribution treaty was signed between the two countries in 1960 after Pakistan's fear that since the source rivers of the Indus basin are in India, it could potentially create droughts and famines in Pakistan during times of war.

To use the treaty as a strategic tool was discussed in the past too even as experts advising against it.

Pahalgam Terror Attack

The Indian response came a day after 26 - 25 tourists and 01 local, were killed in Pahalgam area of Kashmir Tuesday April 22, 2025. The incident is worst terror attack on civilians in the Valley in the last 25 years.

One of the victims, Syed Adil Hussain Shah of Pahalgam, tried to save the tourists. He tried to snatch the gun from the terroists, and in the attempt, lost his life.

Reports coming from the Valley also said a huge number of locals had rushed to hospitals to donate blood immediately after the attack.

Meanwhile, Kashmiris across Jammu and Kashmir are protesting against the killing of the innocents. A complete bandh or shutdown call was also given to express anger over the terror attack.

Images surfaced on social media showed streets deserted, and the historic Lal Chowk in Srinagar was seen for the whole day Wednesday without the hectic activities.

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