Pakistan cuts trade ties with India, closes Wagah border; threatens Simla accord exit

ISLAMABAD, Apr 24 (APP): Pakistan on Thursday announced to suspend the trade ties with India, close Wagah Border crossing, downgrading of diplomatic ties and warned of holding all bilateral accords in abeyance, calling any attempt to usurp its water rights as an “act of war.”

The decisions were taken in the meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and discussed the national security environment and the regional situation, particularly in the wake of Pahalgam attack in the Anantnag District of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on April 22, 2025.

The committee expressed concern over the loss of tourists’ lives, and reviewed the Indian measures announced on April 23, 2025 and termed them “unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit.”

Rejecting the Indian announcement to hold the binding Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, the top security body 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.

“Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty, and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian, will be considered as an Act of War and responded with full force across the complete spectrum of National Power,” the committee declared.

It said that noting the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of India in total disregard of international conventions, UN Security Council Resolutions and international obligations at will, “Pakistan shall exercise the right to hold all bilateral agreements with India including but not limited to Simla Agreement in abeyance, till India desists from its manifested behaviour of fomenting terrorism inside Pakistan; trans-national killings; and non-adherence to international law and UN Resolutions on Kashmir.”

The committee decided that Pakistan would close down the Wagah Border Post, with immediate effect suspending all cross-border transit from India through this route without exception. However, those who have crossed with valid endorsements may return through that route immediately but not later than April 30, 2025.

Pakistan announced the suspension of all visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) issued to Indian nationals and deems them cancelled with immediate effect, with the exception of Sikh religious pilgrims.

The Indian nationals currently in Pakistan under SVES have been asked to exit within 48 hours, excluding Sikh pilgrims.

Pakistan declared the Indian Defence, Naval and Air Advisors in Islamabad persona non grata, directing them to leave Pakistan immediately but not later than April 30, 2025. Annulling the said posts in the Indian High Commission, the support staff of these advisors have also been directed to return to India

Pakistan also announced to reduce the strength of Inthe dian High Commission in Islamabad to 30 diplomats and staff members, with effect from end of this April.

“Pakistan’s airspace will be closed with immediate effect for all Indian owned or Indian operated airlines. All trade with India including to and from any third country through Pakistan, is suspended forthwith,” the committee decided.

The security body underscored that Pakistan and its armed forces remained fully capable and prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity against any misadventure, as clearly demonstrated by their measured yet resolute response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019.

“India’s belligerent measures have vindicated the Two-Nation Theory as well as the apprehensions of Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as encapsulated in the 1940 Pakistan Resolution, which continues to echo the sentiments of the complete Pakistani nation. The Pakistani nation remains committed to peace, but will never allow anyone to transgress its sovereignty, security, dignity and their inalienable rights.”

The National Security Committee observed that Kashmir remained an unresolved dispute between Pakistan and India, as recognised through multiple UN resolutions.

“Pakistan continues to support the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. The continued Indian state oppression, abrogation of statehood, political and demographic gerrymandering, has persistently led to an organic backlash from the people of IIOJK, which perpetuates cycles of violence,” it said.

The participants believed that India’s systemic persecution of minorities, particularly Muslims, had become more pervasive with attempts at forced passage of Waqf Bill the latest one to marginalise Muslims across India.

“India must resist the temptation to exploit such tragic incidents to its advantage and take full responsibility for its failure to provide security to the people.”

The committee unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and that Pakistan was the world’s front-line state against terrorism, having suffered immense human and economic losses.

“Indian attempts to inject volatility in the environment along Pakistan’s eastern borders is aimed at distracting Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts. In the absence of any credible investigation and verifiable evidence, attempts to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan are frivolous, devoid of rationality and defeat logic,” the committee said.

The NSC said that India’s worn-out narrative of victimhood could not obfuscate its own culpability in fomenting terrorism on Pakistan’s soil, nor could it distract attention from its systematic and state sponsored oppression and human rights violations in IIOJK.

“Contrary to Indian claims, Pakistan has in its custody incontrovertible proof of Indian-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan, including the confession of a serving Indian Navy officer, Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, who remains a living testament to India’s state-sponsored terrorist activities.”

The National Security Committee deplored the implicit threat contained in the Indian statement of April 23 and urged the international community to remain mindful of India’s state sponsored extraterritorial assassinations or attempts on foreign soil.

It said that Pakistan had recently exposed such Indian heinous acts along with various other states with undeniable evidence. Pakistan will pursue all those responsible, planners and perpetrators alike and ensure that justice is served. Any threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains, the NSC resolved.

The top security body asked India to refrain from its reflexive blame game and cynical, stage,d managed exploitation of incidents like Pahalgam to further its narrow political agenda which served only to inflame tensions and obstruct the path to peace and stability in the region

Extremely irresponsible warmongering Indian state-controlled media, fueling volatility in the regional calculus is reprehensible, which requires serious introspection, it added. (Associated Press of Pakistan-APP)