The Ministry of Externa Affairs (MEA) of Thursday issued a travel advisory for Indian nationals travelling to Pakistan, and also asked Indian citizens to return at the earliest.
“Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid travelling to Pakistan. Those Indian nationals currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India at the earliest,” the MEA advisory said.
The advisory comes in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam district on April 22, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.
What the MEA advisory says
The statement, released on the MEA website, also said that medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till April 29, 2025.
Dated April 24, the advisory said, “In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect.
All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025.
Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till 29 April 2025.
All Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave India before the expiry of visas, as now amended.
Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid travelling to Pakistan. Those Indian nationals currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India at the earliest.”
India suspends SVES visas, Indus Waters Treaty
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government on Wednesday suspended the visa exemption scheme for Pakistani nationals after a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting took note of the cross-border terror links.
In retaliation to the deadly Pahalgam attack, the CCS announced five key actions to be taken against Pakistan, one which included suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas for Pakistani nationals. All issued SVES visas are now deemed cancelled and Pakistani nationals in India have less than 48 hours to leave the country.
India also decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”.
Another key decision announced after the CCS meeting was to declare all Pakistani military attaches in India as Persona Non Grata. They have been given a week to leave India. India has also withdrawn its defence attaches in Pakistan and decided to reduce the number of staff at its High Commissions in Pakistan.
“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,” an MEA statement said on Wednesday.
“Further reductions, to be effected by May 1, 2025, will bring the overall strength of the High Commissions down to 30 from the present 55,” it added.
Pakistan expels envoys, halts trade with India
After the Indian government expelled Pakistan’s military attaches, the latter, in retaliation, expelled Indian diplomats from Islamabad and halted the limited trade between the two nations.
As tensions flared up between the two nations after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam two days ago, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a national security committee meeting on Thursday that includes top civilian and military leadership. Pakistan also decided to close its airspace for Indian airlines.
The Pakistani government has also rejected India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying that any attempt to stop or divert water belonging to Pakistan would be considered an act of war.
(With inputs from agencies)
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