Madhubani/Islamabad, Apr 24 (UNI) Bitterness is growing between India and Pakistan amidst the nationwide outrage here over the Pahalgam terror carnage, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed to avenge by punishing “every terrorist, their handlers and their backers” through measures that would be “beyond their imagination”.
Pakistan, meanwhile, announced closure of its airspace for Indian flights, suspension of trade and some other measures in a tit-for-tat response to New Delhi’s “decisive response to terrorism”, like keeping in “abeyance” the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT).
It also said it will not recognise the Simla Agreement of 1972 while claiming that suspension of the Indus Water Treaty amounted to an act of war.
On its part, India started halting the water flow of those common rivers over which Pakistan has full claim under the IWT.
The pact, brokered by the World Bank, gives India control over three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) of the Indus basin and grants Pakistan authority over the three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab).
Prime Minister Modi also made his first public comments on Tuesday’s killing of 26 people, including 25 tourists, at Pahalgam in Kashmir by a group of terrorists linked to Pakistan.
Describing it as an attack on the “soul of India”, he said at a pre-scheduled public meeting in Madhubani in Bihar that “every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done”.
He underlined that “Terrorism will not go unpunished…. The entire nation is firm in this resolve” and thanked leaders of various countries for standing with India “in these times”.
Speaking some crucial parts of his otherwise-Hindi speech in English language, Modi said, “India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, their handlers and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism.”
He said the punishment would be "beyond their imagination", in a message seen as a clear warning to the terrorist commanders and the Pakistani military which nurtures the terrorists.
The strong words from the Prime Minister came a day after his government announced 5 measures to hit Pakistan and amidst the increasing bitterness between the two countries.
Besides deciding to suspend the IWT, the Indian government announced suspension of all visas for the Pakistani nationals and closure of the Wagah-Attari border.
Scaling down of the diplomatic mission staff of both the countries and expulsion of military attaches of Pakistan and withdrawal of its own in Islamabad were among other decisions taken after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) yesterday.
The Pakistan government, after a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) - the country's top security body - chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by th all-powerful Army Chief General Asim Munir, warned that suspension of IWT will be considered as “an act of war”.
It announced the closure of its airspace for all Indian-owned and operated flights with immediate effect and non-recognition of the Simla Agreement of 1972 under which, besides other things, the Line of Control (LoC) was recognised bilaterally as a de-facto border.
Pakistan also decided to suspend all forms of trade with India, including those routed through third countries.
It also announced certain decisions mirroring those of the Indian government, like closure of the Wagah border, scaling down of the diplomatic mission staff to 30 members effective April 30 and expulsion of military attaches.
It also said that Pakistan would respond to India’s “hostile actions with full national strength”.
The other measures announced by India include the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post Attari as well as the issuance of a deadline for Pakistanis to leave the country before May 1, 2025.
Also, Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are now deemed cancelled.
Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
UNI RN/AKK SSP