India has revoked visas for Pakistani citizens and given them until Sunday to leave the country as tension rises between the neighbours following this week's deadly terrorist attack on tourists in Kashmir.
Islamabad responded with a string of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures against New Delhi, including the cancellation of visas for Indians, closing its airspace to all Indian-owned or operated airlines and suspending all trade between the countries. Pakistan also warned that it would consider any diversion of water an “act of war”.
India accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism and Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue the culprits “to the ends of the Earth”.
Hundreds of Pakistanis joined protests on Thursday against India's threats. In Kashmir, about 300 people brandishing anti-India placards marched through the main city of Muzaffarabad.
The attack in a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday killed 26 people. India responded with a diplomatic offensive, closing a key border crossing, suspending a water treaty and expelling Pakistani diplomats. It went further on Thursday by suspending visa services to Pakistani nationals.
“All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked” with effect from April 27, India's Foreign Ministry said. It added that medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only until April 29.
The ministry also advised Indian citizens in Pakistan to return as soon as possible. Motorists were heading towards India via the Wagah-Attari border crossing, which will be closed from May 1.
Pakistani response
Pakistan said its “firm reciprocal measures” were about protecting its sovereignty. It described India's moves as “unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit”.
Indian defence, naval and air advisers were declared unwelcome in Islamabad and “directed to leave Pakistan immediately”, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office said after a national security committee meeting.
Visas issued to Indian citizens were cancelled, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.
Pakistan also “vehemently” rejected India’s unprecedented move to suspend the water-sharing pact. “Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water” belonging to Pakistan “will be “considered as an act of war and responded with full force”, the government said.
Rare attack
Tuesday's rare attack on civilians, mostly tourists who were visiting a popular scenic meadow, shocked and outraged India. Among the 26 people killed was Dubai resident Niraj Udhwani.
Pakistan denied any connection to the attack, which was claimed by a previously unknown militant group that called itself the Kashmir Resistance.
Gunmen target tourists in Kashmir attack – in pictures
India has vowed to punish those responsible. “I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,” Mr Modi said. “We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth”.
India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Kashmir as being backed by Pakistan. Islamabad denies this and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.
India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, announced on Wednesday night that a number of Pakistani diplomats were asked to leave New Delhi and that diplomats were recalled from Pakistan.
Diplomatic missions in both countries will reduce their staff from 55 to 30 as of May 1, and the only functional land border crossing between the countries would be closed.
India also suspended a landmark water-sharing treaty that has survived two wars between the countries, in 1965 and 1971, and a major border skirmish in 1999.
The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allows for sharing the waters of a river system that is a lifeline for both countries, particularly for Pakistan’s agriculture.
