In response to an armed attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India has cancelled the special visa privileges previously granted to Pakistani citizens under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. The decision was made during an emergency meeting of India’s Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri officially announced the cancellation, stating that all previously issued visas under this program are now considered invalid. Pakistani citizens currently in India under this visa scheme have been ordered to leave the country within 48 hours.
Additionally, India has shut down the Attari border checkpoint and terminated the long-standing Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
These moves come amid heightened tensions following the Kashmir attack, which Indian authorities allege was supported by Pakistan—an accusation Islamabad denies.