Pakistan has announced the immediate suspension of all trade, closure of its airspace to Indian aircraft, and the sealing of the Wagah border in response to India's recent unilateral and aggressive actions.
The decision came during a high-level meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where the committee reviewed the overall national security situation and India’s latest diplomatic and water-related provocations.
According to the official statement, the committee strongly rejected India's allegations against Pakistan over the Pahalgam shooting incident that resulted in the deaths of several tourists. It described the accusations as baseless and labeled the incident as potentially a "false flag operation" by India to malign Pakistan.
The NSC expressed grave concern over India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a blatant violation of international agreements. The committee decided to raise the issue at global platforms including the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and the World Bank.
Key decisions announced in the statement include:
-Immediate closure of Pakistani airspace for all Indian airlines.
-Immediate suspension of all bilateral trade with India.
-Closure of the Wagah border crossing until further notice.
-Reduction of Indian High Commission staff in Islamabad to 30 members, effective April 30, 2025.
-Declaration of India’s defense, naval, and air attachés as persona non grata, with orders to leave Pakistan immediately.
-Cancellation of all visas issued to Indian citizens under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme.
The NSC also expressed full confidence in the operational readiness of the country’s armed forces and warned that any misadventure or aggression by India would be met with a strong and decisive response.
The two-and-a-half-hour meeting was attended by the heads of Pakistan’s armed forces, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Information Minister Atta Tarar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General Mansoor Usman, and other senior officials, including Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi and the PM’s Principal Secretary Tauqir Shah.
These developments follow India's recent moves, including blaming Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting the Wagah border from its side, and ordering Pakistani nationals to leave India within 48 hours. Pakistan has condemned these actions as escalatory and unjustified, asserting that they are part of a broader campaign to destabilize the region.
