India has declared a raft of punitive actions against Pakistan, including the closure of a key border crossing, in the wake of a deadly militant assault in Indian-administered Kashmir that claimed at least 26 lives.
According to a BBC report published late on 23 April, the Indian government’s swift and severe response follows the massacre in Pehelgam, a scenic valley in Kashmir, where gunmen opened fire on civilians in one of the region’s deadliest attacks in recent memory.
Among the retaliatory steps, India has halted operations at the primary border crossing between the two countries, suspended the bilateral water-sharing agreement, expelled several Pakistani diplomats, and revoked certain visas held by Pakistani nationals in India. The affected individuals have been ordered to leave the country within 48 hours.
Delhi has squarely blamed Pakistan for what it described as “cross-border support for terrorism”, a charge Islamabad has categorically denied.
The attack, which took place on Tuesday, ranks among the most brutal incidents in the conflict-stricken region of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian intelligence sources suspect the involvement of a group known as the Kashmir Resistance, although this assertion remains independently unverified.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pledged to bring to justice not only the perpetrators but also the masterminds behind the attack.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry has responded by expressing sorrow over the loss of life, particularly the deaths of tourists, and extended its condolences.
The diplomatic fallout marks a sharp escalation in tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, casting a long shadow over an already volatile border.
