On Wednesday, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decided to revoke the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) visas for Pakistani nationals and suspend the Indus Water Treaty. This decision was made during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which focused on the repercussions of the recent attack on tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

The CCS also resolved to withdraw defense personnel from the Pakistan High Commission and has classified Pakistani diplomats as persona non grata, requesting them to leave the country within a week, as stated by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri following the meeting. Additionally, the committee has decided to close the Atari border.

The CCS meeting was convened to evaluate the situation and determine appropriate follow-up actions regarding the attack that resulted in 28 deaths and 17 injuries. Prime Minister Modi, who returned early from his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, led the discussion alongside key Cabinet members, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan, and Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh also participated in the discussions.

Home Minister Amit Shah, who arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday evening, conducted several meetings with senior Army officials, Jammu and Kashmir’s DGP Nalin Prabhat, and CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh. Earlier, Modi had conferred with NSA Doval and EAM Jaishankar to assess the emerging situation.

In a separate meeting, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh collaborated with NSA Doval, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, and other officials to address the security situation in the region. “I assure the nation that the government will take every necessary step. We will pursue not only those who carried out this act but also those who orchestrated it. The perpetrators will face a strong and clear response,” he affirmed.

Home Minister Shah conducted an aerial assessment of the region on Wednesday and visited the site of the attack at Baisaran meadow. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also arrived at the location to assist Jammu and Kashmir Police in their investigation, marking it as one of the most significant terror attacks since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The case is expected to be handed over to the NIA for further examination.

Security analysts suggest that this heinous attack, attributed to The Resistance Front—a subgroup of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba—was intended to incite communal discord within the Union Territory and disrupt the progress made post-abrogation of Article 370. The incident aims to undermine the prevailing narrative of stability and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, where educational institutions have resumed normal operations, foreign investments have increased, and social activities have resumed.

Survivors of the attack recounted harrowing experiences as they faced armed assailants who relentlessly fired upon tourists for nearly 20 minutes. In response, Rajnath Singh emphasized the commitment to not only capture those responsible for the attack but also to identify those who conspired to facilitate this egregious act. “The government is determined to take all necessary actions in light of the Pahalgam incident,” he stated, reaffirming that the people of India stand united against this cowardly act. “India maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism,” he concluded.