Over 800 Indians Return from Pakistan as 700 Pakistanis Head Back from India in Last Four Days

In a major turn of events, in the last four days, over 800 Indian citizens have returned from Pakistan, and around 700 Pakistanis have returned from India. This two-way movement of citizens reflects the intensifying diplomatic gap between the two countries, in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Background of the Crisis in India

The diplomatic row began on April 23, 2025, when a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, a tourist resort in Jammu and Kashmir, killed 25 Hindu tourists, one Christian tourist, and one local Muslim. India strongly condemned the attack, which the Resistance Front, a splinter group of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for. The government blamed Pakistan for sponsoring cross-border terrorism, which led to a series of retaliatory measures by both sides.

Measures Adopted by India

India took a number of tough measures in the wake of the Pahalgam attack:

• Diplomatic Expulsions: India expelled three Pakistani military attaches and reduced the strength of its high commission staff in Islamabad.
• Visa Suspensions: India suspended all visas for Pakistani nationals and cancelled the ones already issued, asking those who were in India to depart by April 29.
• Border Closures: The Integrated Check Post at Attari was shut down, closing the only functioning land border crossing between the two nations.
• Water Treaty Suspension: India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a major water-sharing treaty between the two nations.

Retaliatory Measures Taken by Pakistan

Pakistan retaliated with its own series of measures:

• Diplomatic Expulsions: Pakistan expelled Indian diplomats and cut the number of staff at its high commission in New Delhi.
• Visa and Airspace Bans: Pakistan suspended visas for all Indian nationals and blocked Indian flights from its airspace.
• Trade and Agreement Bans: Pakistan banned all trade with India, even through third nations, and announced the ban on the Shimla Agreement, a bilateral treaty designed to resolve differences

Impact on Citizens

The increased tensions have resulted in the repatriation of hundreds of nationals from both nations. Indian nationals have been advised to depart from Pakistan, while Pakistani nationals have been requested to return to their native country. The large-scale exodus has further exacerbated the already strained relations between the two countries.

The global community has urged both India and Pakistan to exercise utmost restraint to avert further escalation. Nevertheless, with both nations indulging in military clashes on the Line of Control and suspending major agreements, the situation is still fragile.