The Home Ministry directed states to round up and repatriate all Pakistan nationals within their areas following the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Sources disclosed that Home Minister Amit Shah made direct contact with all Chief Ministers and held discussions regarding the issue on Friday afternoon.
#PahalgamTerrorAttack | Identify All Pakistanis In India, Send Them Back: Amit Shah To Chief Ministers https://t.co/uPCMy04tI1@aishvaryjain pic.twitter.com/lNX5yGtdFa
— NDTV (@ndtv) April 25, 2025
The order was issued after India said it was revoking all visas for Pakistani citizens as part of a wide-ranging diplomatic move in response to the terror strike that killed 26 individuals in Pahalgam. The attack, carried out on Tuesday at Baisaran Valley, involved five militants with automatic guns who attacked civilians, especially men, according to horrific visuals that were posted on social media. The assailants remain on the loose, and authorities have initiated a massive manhunt.
India Cancels Visas and Suspends Water Treaty in Retaliation
India’s move to cancel all visas for Pakistani citizens will take effect on April 27, except for long-term visas issued to Hindu citizens of Pakistan, which will be valid. Medical visas will be valid only for another 48 hours. These are part of a five-pronged counteroffensive by India after the Pahalgam attack.
India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a major water-sharing treaty between India and Pakistan. Suspension of the IWT, a crucial accord governing the use of the Indus River and its tributaries, has been strongly condemned by Pakistan, which has termed the suspension an “act of war.” Pakistan has suspended the Simla Agreement, which governs bilateral relations between the two nations, and shut its airspace to Indian airlines in retaliation.
Global Diplomacy and Pakistani Involvement
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri gave proof to senior diplomats of various countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Russia, that Pakistan was involved in the planning and conducting of the attack. These diplomatic moves were made to garner international support and put pressure on Pakistan to own up to their actions in the attack.
Prime Minister Modi’s Strong Statement
After the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly asserted himself, turning to English during an event in Bihar in order to make a clear signal to the international community. He stated, “From the land of Bihar, I am saying to the world that India will find and punish every terrorist, and those responsible for them.”
Modi’s words were seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who vowed a tough response to the perpetrators. “We will not only punish the beasts who committed this act of barbarianism and brutality, we will also track down those who hid behind a veil to execute this conspiracy,” Singh said at a function in Delhi.
All-Party Meeting and Next Steps
On Thursday, the Indian government convened an all-party meeting during which political parties were apprised of the situation. The meeting reiterated India’s resolve to punishing the perpetrators of the attack and safeguarding its borders against terror attacks.
The Pahalgam attack has been termed the worst since the Pulwama attack in February 2019, and the authorities are making efforts to break terrorist cells active in the area.
