Srinagar/New Delhi/Islamabad, Apr 24 (EFE).— Tensions between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan soared Thursday, sparking fears of war after the deadliest civilian attack in Indian-istered Kashmir in years two days ago.
Security forces and investigators continue to hunt for the gunmen who opened fire Tuesday on a group of tourists in a meadow near the popular resort town of Pahalgam in southern Kashmir. Among the 26 victims were 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen.
The massacre has not only sparked regional unrest but also triggered a rapid diplomatic unraveling between the two South Asian neighbors, whose rivalry dates back to the partition and independence of 1947.
Diplomatic Fallout Deepens
On Wednesday, India downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan, summoned its top envoy, shut down a major border crossing, and — for the first time — suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 water-sharing accord brokered by the World Bank that has withstood decades of conflict.
The treaty governs the allocation of water from six rivers, granting India control over three eastern rivers and Pakistan over three western rivers.
Reacting sharply on Thursday, Pakistan warned that any Indian attempt to divert water from rivers assigned to it would be considered “an act of war.”
In a strongly worded statement following a meeting of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s top civil-military body, Pakistan rejected India’s accusations and called the suspension of the treaty a “unilateral and hostile” act.
“Any move to divert water will be met with full force across the complete spectrum of national power,” the National Security Committee said.
Pakistan also announced the suspension of all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, until India changes what it termed its “belligerent conduct.”
Effective immediately, Pakistan closed the Wagah border crossing, suspended visa exemptions for Indian nationals (except Sikh pilgrims), expelled Indian defense advisers, and ordered India to reduce its High Commission staff in Islamabad to 30 by Apr. 30.
In addition, Pakistan shut its airspace to all Indian-owned or operated carriers and suspended all trade with India, including third-country transit.
India Blames Pakistan, Vows Retaliation
The flare-up follows India’s decision to ban Pakistani nationals from entering the country after blaming Islamabad for the tourist killings — an allegation Pakistan has dismissed as “inappropriate and baseless.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the attack a direct affront to national security and vowed retribution.
“To the world, I say this: India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backer. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” Modi declared in his first public address since the attack.
India has alleged that the gunmen had links to Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of ing the killers.
“All efforts will be made to ensure justice is done. The nation stands united in this resolve,” Modi said.
Responsibility for the assault was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group believed to be a proxy of the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which carried out the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
India Tightens Visa Restrictions
India has suspended all visas for Pakistani citizens and ordered those already in the country to leave within 72 hours, with a five-day extension allowed for medical cases.
“In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals with immediate effect,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
All existing visas will be revoked as of April 27, with medical visa exceptions ending on April 29. The government also advised Indian citizens to avoid travel to Pakistan and urged those currently there to return “at the earliest.”
Protests Erupt, Fear Returns to Kashmir
Anti-Pakistan protests broke out in New Delhi, with demonstrators waving Indian flags and holding signs reading “Down with Pakistan” and “We will not bow to terrorism.” Security forces guarded the Pakistani High Commission as protesters chanted slogans.
Meanwhile, Kashmiris braced for what they fear will be another cycle of blame, crackdown, and confrontation.
“We know the pattern,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a schoolteacher in Anantnag district. “Every time something like this happens, the common Kashmiri ends up paying the price.”
“We have nothing to do with guns or violence. We just want to raise our families, send our children to school, and sleep peacefully at night.”
Security forces ramped up deployments across the already heavily militarized region, setting up checkpoints and conducting intensified searches. Many residents reported harassment and questioning by police.
Kashmiris both in the region and across India said they are facing what they describe as “collective punishment” for an attack carried out by unknown assailants, whom Indian authorities allege included a mix of local and Pakistani militants.
Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan since 1947. A separatist insurgency erupted in 1989 and has claimed tens of thousands of lives. India accuses Pakistan of backing the militants — a charge Islamabad denies. EFE
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