"Act of War...": Pakistan Retaliates after India’s Measures Post-Pahalgam Attack

Pakistan on Thursday announced a series of retaliatory measures in response to India's actions following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The most significant reaction came against India’s suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which Pakistan condemned as a provocative act with serious consequences.

“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 Pakistani government said in an official statement.

After an hours-long emergency meeting of Pakistan’s top security committee, Islamabad declared it would mirror India’s actions by suspending all visas issued to Indian nationals, including those under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. Pakistan also announced a reduction in the number of Indian diplomatic staff at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to just 30.

India had announced on Wednesday that it was halting the Indus Waters Treaty with immediate effect. The Indian government stated that the suspension would remain in place until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably abjures" support for cross-border terrorism. This comes in the wake of growing anger within India over the brutal terrorist strike on unarmed civilians in Pahalgam.

The potential fallout from India’s decision is significant for Pakistan. The Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers—crucial lifelines for agriculture and daily life in Pakistan—originate in India. With water scarcity already a pressing issue in the country, any move to restrict or divert these water flows could have devastating economic impacts, affecting tens of millions.​