Hostile Factions in India Deteriorate Relations with Pakistan Following Assault on Kashmir Vacationers
India's ties with Pakistan have hit a new low after the tragic Pahalgam attack that left 26 people, primarily tourists, dead. In response, India has imposed a series of harsh measures aimed at Pakistan.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated at a media briefing that they have uncovered cross-border linkages related to the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Consequently, India will take actions against Pakistan.
On Wednesday, India decided to close its major land border crossing with Pakistan and suspend the water-sharing treaty, known as the Indus water treaty, that allows for sharing waters from the Indus river system between the two nations. Furthermore, Pakistani nationals will no longer be able to travel to India under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) visa exemption program.
The Ministry of External Affairs, in a follow-up statement on Thursday, announced that all Pakistani nationals' visas will be revoked, with existing visas expiring on April 27, and medical visas becoming invalid after April 29. Moreover, all Pakistani nationals currently in India are expected to leave before the expiration of their visas. The ministry also advised all Indian nationals to refrain from traveling to Pakistan.
To add insult to injury, India has declared defense advisers in the Pakistani high commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and reduced the number of its own high commission in Islamabad to 30 from 55.
In response, Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced retaliatory measures against India, including the closure of airspace to all Indian-owned or operated airlines and the suspension of visas to Indian nationals under the SAARC program. The office accused India of attempting to divert water, warning that such actions would be considered an act of war.
Pakistani officials denied any involvement in the Pahalgam attack and demanded that India take responsibility for providing security to its citizens.
A little-known group, the Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the attack on a social media message. The attack’s targets were reportedly linked to and affiliated with Indian security agencies, according to the group.
Despite the escalating tensions between the two nations, Kashmir has seen an increase in deadly attacks, particularly against migrant workers from Indian states. Kashmir's so-called "normalcy" narrative, which claims a reduction in violence, has been questioned by experts as enabling attacks.
Fearing for their safety, panicked tourists have started leaving Kashmir. As one tourist named Monojit Debnath explained, "We are tourists, and we should think about what safety we have here for us."
In 1989, an anti-Indian rebellion began in Kashmir, and armed groups have continued to afflict the region. Although violence has decreased in recent years, tensions remain high due to longstanding political disputes and deep-seated mistrust between India and Pakistan.
Sources:1. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/28/pakistan-vows-action-after-india-suspends-water-treaty-following-deadly-attack2. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-611222123. https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-pakistan-trade-deal-faces-uncertain-future-amid-diplomatic-crisis-2022-04-27/4. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/28/india-pakistan-tensions-scale-up-over-kashmir-attack5. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/pakistan-slaps-visa-trade-ban-on-india-following-kashmir-attack-and-indias-diplomatic-reprisals/articleshow/91146947.cms6. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/kashmir-pahalgam-terror-attack-tourists-dead-b2063437.html
- The recent Pahalgam attack, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, resulted in the tragic deaths of 26 people, primarily tourists, and has escalated the war-and-conflicts between India and Pakistan.
- Following the attack, India has imposed several setbacks on Pakistan, including the suspension of the water-sharing treaty (Indus water treaty) and the closure of its major land border crossing with Pakistan.
- In addition, Pakistani nationals are no longer eligible to travel to India under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) visa exemption program, and all existing Pakistani visas will be revoked.
- Meanwhile, Pakistan has announced retaliatory measures in response, such as the closure of airspace to all Indian-owned or operated airlines and the suspension of visas to Indian nationals under the SAARC program.
- The general-news sources suggest that tensions between the two nations have reached a critical point due to politics and the ongoing terrorism allegations, raising concerns about crime-and-justice, especially in Kashmir.
- Despite the tense situation and increase in deadly attacks, tourism in Kashmir has started to decline as tourists fear for their safety amid the war-and-conflicts between India and Pakistan.
