Pakistan’s national security committee (NSC) on Wedesday decided to suspend trade ties with India, closure of Wagah border crossing, downgrading of diplomatic ties and expressed caution that any attempts to usurp its water rights will be considered as an “act of war.”
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Security Committee headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Top civil and military leadership joined the meet in Islamabad that reviewed the latest situation in the aftermath of an airstrike carried out by Indian forces, according to a report by Pakistan’s state-run APP news agency .
Earlier, the highest security body had also met on April 24, following the Indian decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance after the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, for which India blamed Pakistani links.
Rejecting the Indian announcement to hold the binding Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the top security body had observed that water was a “vital national interest” of Pakistan, and a lifeline for its 240 million people which would be safeguarded at all costs.
Following the strikes in Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz said late Tuesday that Pakistan had every right to give a “fitting response” to India after it conducted missile strikes against Pakistan.
“The enemy has carried out cowardly attacks in Pakistan and we are ready to give a befitting response to this act of war imposed on us,” he said in a statement issued by the PM Office.