India suspends Indus Waters Treaty, asks Pak nationals to leave country in 48 hours after PM Modi chairs Cabinet meet

April 16: Destination wedding, Mussoorie. April 19: Wedding reception, Karnal. April 21: Honeymoon, Kashmir. April 23: Cremation, Karnal.

Barely a week after Vinay Narwal and Himanshi started living the great Indian dream, hand in hand, it was over. All that remained was a chilling image that captured the horror of Tuesday’s terror attack in J&K: Vinay’s body stretched out on a brown patch in the picturesque Baisaran valley in Pahalgam; Himanshi seated, listless, nearby; a black backpack overturned.

In a video from the spot, Himanshi is heard saying, “I was eating bhel puri with my husband. A man came over and asked if he [Narwal] was Muslim. When he said no, the man shot him dead.” On Wednesday evening, as the last rites were being conducted at Narwal’s hometown of Karnal in Haryana, she said, “We never thought this trip would turn into a nightmare.”

Late last month, Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal took leave for 40 days for his wedding and birthday celebrations. On April 4, he got engaged to Himanshi, who is pursuing a PhD. Following their wedding days later, the couple took a flight to Kashmir from Delhi. Read Full Report

A day after 25 tourists and a local resident were killed in a terror attack in J&K’s Pahalgam, Pakistan claimed that it had “nothing to do with it” — a denial that left Indian officials unconvinced with initial investigations suggesting the presence of “foreign nationals” among the attackers.

Later, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri underlined that “cross-border linkages of the terrorist attack” were brought out in the Cabinet Committee on Secu- rity (CCS) meeting Wednesday.

“We have absolutely nothing to do with it. We reject terrorism in all its forms and everywhere,” Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif told a Pakistani TV channel when asked about the deadliest terror attack on civilians in India since Mumbai 26/11.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said, “We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of…Jammu and Kashmir. We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”

“Our guests are unfortunately returning to their homes wrapped in shrouds.” Speaking at the funeral of Adil Hussain, the only local killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had this to say about 25 tourists from across the country being gunned down a day earlier.

The impact of the attack on Kashmir Valley became clearer on Wednesday, as tourists clamoured to take the first flight or train home and popular destinations saw a sharp drop in footfall.

Srinagar and several parts of J&K, meanwhile, observed a shutdown of schools and businesses to express solidarity with the victims. Senior government officials said “50-60%” of bookings for this season had been cancelled.

At Pahalgam, where the daily footfall is 15,000 or more, just 100-odd tourists remained on Wednesday.

At Gulmarg in North Kashmir, which sees a footfall of 10,000 a day, about 3,000 people visited on Wednesday. This is an area where Gondola tickets are sold out nearly a month in advance. Read Full Report

The mortal remains of Manjunath Rao and Bharat Bhushan, two Karnataka residents who lost their lives during the Pahalgam terror attack Tuesday, are expected to arrive in Bengaluru in the early hours of Thursday.

Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya is accompanying the grieving families on their journey from Srinagar to Bengaluru. The group, which includes 13 family members of the deceased, is travelling from Srinagar to Delhi on IndiGo flight 6E 3203. The flight was scheduled to land at Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport at 7.10 pm on Wednesday.

Their onward journey to Bengaluru will be on IndiGo flight 6E 3101, departing from Terminal 1D of Delhi Airport at 1.10 am and arriving at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, at 3.45 am Thursday.

The bodies of both victims are being transported on the same flights. Arrangements for their funeral are expected to be made following their arrival in Bengaluru. Read Full Report

Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde on social media website X after reaching Srinagar: "I met many of our stranded tourists—tired, anxious, but resilient. It was heartening to see their spirits lift just by knowing that their government is with them, on the ground. I’m here not just as Deputy CM, but as a fellow Maharashtrian—to stand by them, reassure them, and personally coordinate their safe return home.

Also proud to note the outstanding work done by the team of Dr. Shrikant Shinde in these critical hours—coordinating logistics, providing emotional support, and ensuring every individual felt cared for.

We will bring everyone home—with care, dignity, and the full strength of our government behind them."

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has curtailed his US trip and will be returning back to India. He will be attending the CWC meeting in Delhi.

Police on Wednesday announced a bounty of Rs 20 lakh for information leading to the neutralisation of terrorists involved in the gruesome killing of tourists in a Pahalgam resort of Jammu and Kashmir.

Twenty-six people, including 24 tourists, were killed when terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon. The horrific incident is the deadliest attack in the valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.

The dead included two foreigners and as many locals.

"Any information leading to the neutralisation of terrorists involved in this cowardly act shall be rewarded Rs 20 lakh," Anantnag police said in a post on its official X handle.

The identity of the informer shall be kept a secret, the police added.

Earlier in the day, security agencies released the sketches of three men suspected to be involved in the terror attack. The men, all Pakistanis, are Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha, officials said.

They had code names Moosa, Yunus and Asif and were involved in terror-related incidents in Poonch. The sketches were prepared with the help of survivors, they said.

From the pencil sketches, in black and white, they appear to be young and have beards. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack on Tuesday afternoon.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met this evening under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The CCS was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed. Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, the CCS decided upon the following measures.

5. The overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by 01 May 2025. The CCS reviewed the overall security situation and directed all forces to maintain high vigil. It resolved that the perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. As with the recent extradition of Tahawwur Rana, India will be unrelenting in the pursuit of those who have committed acts of terror, or conspired to make them possible.

4. The Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own Defence/Navy/Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.

3. Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.

Indian Express Explains ✈️

The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme was launched in 1992, according to the SAARC website. The leaders at the Fourth Summit (Islamabad, 29-31 December 1988), while realising the importance of having people-to-people contacts, among the peoples of SAARC countries, decided that certain categories of dignitaries should be entitled to a Special Travel document, which would exempt them from visas within the region. As directed by the Summit, the Council of Ministers regularly kept under review the list of entitled categories, the text explains.

Who all are included

Currently, the list has 24 categories, such as dignitaries, judges of higher courts, parliamentarians, senior officials, businessperson, journalists, and sportsmen.

2. The Integrated Check Post Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 01 May 2025.

Wagah, an army outpost on Indo-Pak border – between Amritsar and Lahore, is an elaborate complex of buildings, roads and barriers on both sides, which allows for exchange of goods and people.

1. The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.

Indian Express Explains:

What's the importance of Indus Water Treaty 💦

As the only major cross-border water-sharing treaty in Asia, the Indus Water Treaty plays a crucial role in maintaining peace between two nuclear-armed neighbours. Despite the wars of 1965 and 1971 and various geopolitical tensions, both nations have consistently upheld the treaty.

However, Pakistan’s objections to two of India’s hydroelectric projects — the Kishanganga project on the Kishanganga River, a tributary of the Jhelum, and the Ratle project on the Chenab — have created ongoing tensions. Pakistan claims these projects could impact water flow into its territory, particularly concerning irrigation needs.

Compounding these issues are persistent concerns about climate change, which threaten the treaty’s long-term viability. As the planet heats up, the glaciers that nourish the Indus Basin — from the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, and Western Tibet — are melting. Vater argues that while India might initially enjoy a water windfall and Pakistan remains steady, the long-term outlook is less rosy: the rivers’ peak flow will dwindle. Adding to this uncertainty are the whims of monsoon rains and extreme weather, which could lead to flash floods, displacing communities and prompting migrations.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met this evening under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The CCS was briefed in detail on the terrorist attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were killed. Recognising the seriousness of this terrorist attack, the CCS decided upon the following measures:

In July 2022, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Flood Management and International Water Treaties presented its report, and observed that the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960 was based on the available knowledge and circumstances of that time.

It recommended that the Indian government take necessary diplomatic measures to renegotiate the treaty in light of present-day challenges such as global warming, climate change, water availability, and environmental impact.

In August 2024, India formally notified Pakistan under Article XII (3) of the treaty, seeking review and renegotiation on the basis of present challenges such as population growth, climate change, and the alleged misuse of dispute mechanisms by the neighbouring country.

Unlike the Ganga and Brahmaputra River systems, the Indus River system has the largest glaciated area and is mostly dependent on solid precipitation and glacier meltwater.

However, current climate change is presenting challenges related to water availability and distribution in the basin. Given the risks of global warming, both India and Pakistan remain vulnerable to these changes.

India and Pakistan signed the Indus Water Treaty on September 19, 1960 to ensure the distribution of waters of the Indus and its tributaries.

It was signed in Karachi by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistan President Ayub Khan.

In the context of the treaty, Pakistan became the lower riparian state – a place where the river ends – and India the upper riparian state – where the river originates.

According to this treaty, India got exclusive rights over the three eastern rivers – Ravi, Sutlej and Beas – amounting to around 33 million acre-feet (MAF), or approximately 20% of the total water of the Indus river system.

Pakistan got control over the three western rivers – Indus, Jhelum and Chenab – receiving around 135 MAF, or 80% of the total water.

However, India can use the water of western rivers for specified domestic, non-consumptive and agricultural purposes. India has also the right to generate hydroelectricity through run-of-the-river (RoR) projects, subject to specific criteria for design and operation.

After Leaders of Opposition in both the Houses spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about Pahalgam attack, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday said that it is not a time for “partisan politics” and “is a moment for collective resolve to ensure justice for those who lost their lives and for their grieving families”.

The Congress leader said that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet in Delhi on Thursday to discuss the matter.

Speaking in Bengaluru, Kharge said the Congress Party “unequivocally condemns this cowardly act of terror and those responsible for it in the strongest possible terms”.

What all did he say. Read here

A tourist from Nepal was among the 26 people killed in the deadly terror attack on a group of tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday.

The attack took place in the afternoon at Baisaran valley – an off-road meadow a little over 6 km from Pahalgam – when it was packed with tourists. Terrorists showed up and fired indiscriminately at them.

Who is Sudip Neupane?

Sudip Neupane, a 27-year-old Nepali national from Butwal in Rupandehi district, had travelled to the scenic region with his mother, sister, and brother-in-law for a holiday when the attack took place in an off-road meadow described as the deadliest civilian attack in India in nearly two decades.

Read the full story here

Jammu and Kashmir has been the leading tourist destination for travellers from Maharashtra this year, with numerous tour operators offering specially curated packages.

However, the situation has taken a drastic turn following the terror attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the death of 26 people on Tuesday.

While some tourists choose to complete their Kashmir trips, many others are attempting to leave early or postpone or entirely cancel their upcoming trips.

Ashis Velapure, who runs Ashvel Holidays, confirmed that a group of six scheduled to go to Kashmir on April 27 had cancelled their trip . “We had more tours planned for the rest of April, but now everything seems uncertain,” he said.

What's happening now

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and decided to pause its ongoing protests against the new Waqf law for three days in solidarity with the families of victims.

The terror attack at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several injured.

The AIMPLB has issued a condolence statement and decided to temporarily pause its ongoing protest programmes, a statement issued by the Muslim organisation said.

As a mark of solidarity with the bereaved families, the Board has suspended its campaign against the "controversial amendments" to the Waqf Act for three days starting April 23, the statement said.

SQR Ilyas, national convener of the Majlis-e-Amal for the protection of Waqf under the AIMPLB, said in a statement that the terrorist attack in Pahalgam is deeply tragic and strongly condemnable.

-PTI

US Vice President J D Vance spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack.

In the phone conversation, Vance conveyed to Modi that the United States stands with the people of India in this difficult hour.

"Vice President J D Vance called Prime Minister Narendra Modi and strongly condemned the dastardly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. The US Vice President conveyed his deepest condolences on the loss of lives and reiterated that the US stands with the people of India in this difficult hour, he said.

Kissing the coffin of Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was among those killed in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday, his wife, Himanshi, broke down, as the coffin was placed at the Delhi Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

“I pray that his soul rests in peace and he has the best afterlife ever. We will make him proud everyday…,” she said, as Navy officers, her family members and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta gathered around her.

The wreath-laying ceremony for Lt Narwal, who was among the 26 people killed in Pahalgam, was held at the Cargo Terminal of the airport. The couple had got married recently and were in Pahalgam for their honeymoon.

A gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Tangmarg area of Kulgam district following information about the presence of ultras there.

An encounter broke out after the terrorists opened fire on the security personnel, they said.

No casualties have been reported in the exchange of fire so far, the officials said adding further details were awaited. Earlier on Wednesday, two terrorists were killed as an infiltration bid was foiled along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.

The security forces are on high alert after Tuesday's terror attack in Pahalgam left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.

-PTI

The Cabinet Committee on Security met in New Delhi on Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after the dastardly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam killed at least 26 people and injured several others.

Besides the prime minister, the Cabinet Committee on Security comprises Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Sitharaman is on her way back from the United States after she cut short her official visit.

Prime Minister Modi returned early Wednesday from Saudi Arabia. He held a meeting at the airport soon after his arrival where he discussed the J&K terror attack with Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry was also part of the meeting.

Earlier in the day, Amit Shah visited Baisaran in Pahalgam, the site where terrorists struck on Tuesday evening, as well as the hospital where some of the injured were being treated.

Prominent Muslim organisations on Wednesday strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind asserting that it is wrong to give a religious colour to the incident as terrorism is a "cancer" that contradicts Islam's policy of promoting peace.

The terror attack at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday left at least 26 people, mostly tourists, dead and several injured.

Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, the head of the All India Imam Organisation, said the imams of more than 5.5 lakh mosques in the country will give a strong message against terrorism, along with praying for the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack, during the Friday prayers this week.

"Prayers will be offered at mosques for the innocent people who have been killed in Pahalgam and their families. During the Friday prayers, the imam will give a strong message against terrorism during his khutba (religious sermon)," he said.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani strongly condemned the cowardly terror attack in Pahalgam. He expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the victims' families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured, a statement issued by the Jamiat said. Madani said those who kill innocent people are not humans but "beasts".

-PTI

The Resistance Front (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 tourists, sources in central agencies said.

On Tuesday, terrorists fired at tourists in the Baisaran meadow in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam, killing tourists and a local pony operator.

The Resistance Front (TRF) is an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

When did The Resistance Front surface?

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared the TRF a “terrorist organisation” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in January 2023.

But two key events have taken place before this. Read here

The Jammu region witnessed massive anti-Pakistan protests staged by mainstream political parties, socio-political and religious organisations on Wednesday, in the wake of a deadly terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam tourist resort that has killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists.

The protesters burnt effigies of Pakistan and raised slogans demanding that a fitting reply be given to the neighbouring country, terrorists and their supporters in Jammu and Kashmir.

Congress workers clashed with police while seeking permission to take out a protest march in the city.

Led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Yudhvir Sethi, a joint protest march was taken out in the city's Satwari area by the saffron party, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and other social organisations.

Raising slogans against Pakistan, its army chief, terrorists and their local support structure, the protesters demanded a befitting reply to the neighbouring country and its terrorist networks in Jammu and Kashmir. They also burnt Pakistan's flag.

"We want a crackdown by security forces on terrorists and their local support structure. A befitting reply should be given to Pakistan," former Jammu and Kashmir minister Priya Sethi told reporters here.

-PTI

A scuffle breaks out between police and Congress protesters during their protest against the Pahalgam terror attack, in Jammu on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)

Assuring the countrymen that the government will take every necessary step, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said they will "not only reach the perpetrators of this act but also the actors behind the scenes".

"Yesterday, in Pahalgam, targeting a particular religion, terrorists executed a cowardly act, in which we lost many innocent lives...The accused will soon see a loud and clear response, I want to assure the country," he said in Delhi.

A total of seven terrorists, including four-five from Pakistan, are suspected to have opened fire on tourists at the Baisaran valley meadow in Pahalgam Tuesday, The Indian Express has learnt.

According to sources, eyewitness accounts and intelligence reports suggest that at least two of the attackers are suspected to be local militants. Their identities are yet to be firmly established, they said.

Read full report here

The quiet, picturesque town of Jammu and Kashmir's #pahalgam was shaken yesterday (April 22) when a terrorist attack claimed the lives of several innocent people, including Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a horse rider and the sole breadwinner for his family.