India and Pakistan canceled visas for their respective citizens on Thursday, and Islamabad retaliated after New Delhi suspended a water sharing treaty, the Industry Water Treaty, between the two nations.
The demotion of diplomacy between the two countries comes after a tourist terrorist attack in India.
A group called the resistance front supported for filming. It is an emanation from the terrorist group based in Pakistan Lashkar-E-Taiba.
On Tuesday, a shooter opened fire in the highly disputed region of cashmere, killing 26 people, most of whom were tourists, making it the deadliest attack against civilians in the region in recent times.
The fallout
In response, India said that it would revoke all the visas issued to Pakistani nationals on Sunday and ordered Pakistanis currently in the country to leave before that.
He also announced that he cut diplomatic staff, closed the only land border crossing usable between India and Pakistan and the suspension of a water sharing key.
In retaliation, Pakistan has closed its airspace for all airlines belonging to Indians and has suspended all trade with India, including towards any third country.
The Indian Minister of Defense, Rajnath Singh, signed up on Wednesday to “not only trace those who perpetrated the attack, but also trace those who conspired to commit this harmful act on our soil”, and alluded to the possibility of military strikes, according to the Associated Press.
The Pakistan National Security Committee condemned India’s “belligerent measures”. He said that even if Pakistan has remained attached to peace, he would not allow anyone to “transgress his sovereignty, security, dignity and inalienable rights”.
Government ministers on both sides have suggested that the dispute could degenerate from military action. Pakistan Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar told Dunya News Local Channel that “any kinetic stage of India will see a kinetic response from Tit-For-Tat”.
The soldiers of the Indian army rose to the summit at the top of their vehicle following an attack on Indian tourists by armed men on April 23, 2025, in Srinagar, India.
Yawar Nazir / Getty images
New Delhi describes any militancy in cashmere as a terrorism supported by Pakistan. Pakistan denies this, and many Muslim cashmiris consider that activists are part of a local freedom struggle.
During a speech on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra amended to find those responsible for the attack.
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“We will pursue them to the ends of the earth,” he promised.
Why cashmere is important
The cashmere, which is located in the northern region of the Indian subcontinent, is currently divided between India and Pakistan, each controlling about half of the territory, both claiming it in full. China also exercises competence in eastern cashmere.
A map of cashmere detailing its geographic lines of division.
BBC / Cashmere profile
The Himalayan region has become an area of discord rooted in 1947 when the two countries obtained the independence of British domination, leaving the cashmere free to choose the country it would join, if necessary.
At the time, its chief, the Maharaja of cashmere, Hari Singh, wanted him to remain independent, although he signed an interim “stop agreement” with Pakistan to maintain the status quo and maintain transport and other services.
Shortly after, he chose to take military aid from India when a rebellious invasion led by Pakistan, partly stimulated by the lack of decision -making of Maharaja, caused a generalized disturbance.
Lord Louis Mountbatten, former Governor General of India, intervened and suggested as a temporary peace measure that Kashmir joined India, followed by a vote to ratify its official status. Hari Singh signed the instrument of the membership agreement shortly after, putting control of its foreign and defense policies in India.
Indian troops took two -thirds of the territory, the Pakistani forces showing control of the remaining northern region.
Whether the Indian forces entered cashmere before or after Hari Singh signed the agreement remains disputed between India and Pakistan.
India argues that Hari Singh signed first, legitimizing the presence of their troops, but Pakistan argued that the Maharaja did not sign before the Indian troops enter the cashmere and that he and India had therefore bypassed the “stop” agreement with Pakistan.
None of the countries has had its position for decades for decades, although some Cashmiris have not come for independence, a solution that neither Pakistan nor India are ready to consider.
Many wars have been carried out between Pakistan and India Above the cashmere since 1947, notably in 1947-1948, 1965, 1971 and 1999, according to National Geographic.
What is the Treaty of Indus water?
Neighbors of nuclear weapons do not agree on the use of water from rivers which flow downstream from India in the Industry River basin in Pakistan.
The Industrial Water Treaty, mediated by the World Bank and signed by the neighbors in September 1960, divided the Indus and its tributaries between the two countries and the sharing regulated by water. India has obtained the use of water from three oriental rivers – Sutlej, Beas and Ravi – while Pakistan obtained most of the three Western Rivers – Industs, Jhelum and Chenab.
There is no provision in the Treaty for the two countries to suspend or unilaterally terminate the Pact, which has clear systems for dispute settlement.
Pakistan strongly depends on the water of this river system for its hydroelectric needs and irrigation. Pakistan affirms that India unjustly diverts water with the construction upstream of the dams and dams, a charge of India denies.
Pakistan fears that the dams of India will cut flows on the river, which feeds 80% of its irrigated agriculture.
India has accused Pakistan of having led to the complaint process and says that the construction of its hydroelectric projects in Kishanganga and Ratle is authorized under the treaty. He also asked for the modification of the pact to circumvent these delays.
The suspension of the agreement should not have an immediate impact on the flow of water to Pakistan because India does not have enough storage capacity, but India’s decision could bring uncertainty to the agricultural system of Pakistan.
The suspension means that India can cease to share crucial information and data on the release of water / dams water or on floods, said Indian officials, adding that New Delhi will not be forced to release minimum quantities of water during the strain season.
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– With files from the Associated Press and Reuters
