Pakistan’s top security body will convene Thursday to formulate a policy response to India’s sharp actions following a deadly attack in India-administered Kashmir that killed over two dozen people.
India’s measures include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty—a landmark 1960 pact brokered by the World Bank—and downgrading diplomatic ties by shutting the main border transit point.
New Delhi has linked these moves to Islamabad’s alleged backing of cross-border terrorism, calling the attack a serious provocation demanding strong diplomatic, economic, and logistical retaliation, reports Dawn.
But Islamabad has denied any role and said it had nothing to do with the attack.
“Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif has convened the meeting of the National Security Committee on Thursday morning, 24th April 2025, to respond to the Indian Government’s statement of this evening,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Appearing on a private television channel late on Wednesday, Dar lashed out at India’s approach, calling it “immature” and “hasty”.
“India has not given any evidence. They have not shown any maturity in their response,” Dar said. “This is a non-serious approach. They started creating hype immediately after the incident.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in a separate statement earlier in the day, expressed regret over the loss of life.
“We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the statement said.
Diplomatic observers warn that India’s response and Pakistan’s counter-messaging could deepen tensions, pushing relations to new lows reminiscent of the 2019 Pulwama-Balakot crisis. The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty raises the risk of prolonged water disputes, while downgraded diplomatic ties may complicate future de-escalation efforts.
India blamed Pakistan on Wednesday for a militant attack that killed 26 people in India-controlled Kashmir, downgrading diplomatic ties and suspending a crucial water-sharing treaty that has withstood two wars between the nuclear-armed rivals.
The spray of gunfire at tourists Tuesday in Pahalgam, a scenic mountain-ringed valley in Kashmir was the worst assault in years targeting civilians in the restive region that is claimed by both countries. The unidentified gunmen also wounded 17 other people.
India’s foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, announced the diplomatic moves against Pakistan at a news conference in New Delhi late Wednesday, saying a special cabinet meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided that the attack had “cross-border” links to Pakistan. However, the government provided no evidence of this publicly, reports AP from SRINAGAR, India.
Pakistan said it would respond more fully to India’s actions on Thursday, but in the meantime Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad said that India was using “an unfortunate incident of terrorism” as a pretext to jettison a treaty it has long been trying to evade.
India describes militancy in Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.
Vikram Misri said that the Indus Water Treaty would be suspended “until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.” He said a number of Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi were asked to leave, and Indian diplomats were recalled from Pakistan, reducing diplomatic officials for both countries from 55 to 30.
Misri also said the main land border crossing between the countries would be closed.