Pakistan’s Top Security Panel Reviews India’s Moves Amid Kashmir Fallout
Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC), the country’s highest decision-making body on security, convened to evaluate India’s escalating measures in response to a deadly attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, which claimed over two dozen lives. The meeting aims to craft a strategic counter-policy as tensions between the two nuclear neighbors intensify.
India has taken several aggressive actions, including closing border crossings, downgrading diplomatic relations, and for the first time ever, announcing the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing cross-border terrorism, despite providing no concrete evidence. Pakistan has denied any involvement and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives.
Indian media reported that the official X (formerly Twitter) account of Pakistan’s government has been blocked in India. The country has also summoned Pakistan’s top envoy, Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich, to lodge a formal protest.
The move to suspend the 1960 IWT—mediated by the World Bank—marks a pivotal moment, as the agreement has survived past wars and decades of hostilities. Its abrupt halt is viewed as a dangerous escalation with long-term regional implications.
Diplomatic ties were further strained by India’s closure of the Attari border and new restrictions on Pakistani nationals, including a 48-hour exit notice for those in India under the SAARC visa scheme.
The Kashmir attack occurred in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam, where gunmen opened fire on visitors, killing 26 people and injuring 17 others—marking the deadliest civilian attack in the region since 2000.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the NSC session, attended by top civil and military leaders, to assess what Pakistani officials are calling a “false flag” operation. The meeting focused on India’s “rash and impractical” actions, especially regarding water management.
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and other cabinet members were seen arriving at the Prime Minister’s Office ahead of the high-level meeting. Speaking to media late Wednesday, Dar criticized India’s response as “immature and baseless.”
Observers warn that this flare-up could lead to one of the worst diplomatic crises since the 2019 Pulwama-Balakot incident, with analysts highlighting the potential for prolonged water disputes and a deepening diplomatic standoff.
International affairs expert Michael Kugelman noted that this could be “the most serious threat of conflict between India and Pakistan in years,” calling India’s retaliatory steps unprecedented.
India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Modi, announced several measures, including reducing staff at diplomatic missions, expelling Pakistani military officials, and halting Pakistani access under prior visa agreements.
Amid these developments, Kashmiri students studying in Indian cities reported incidents of harassment and eviction from hostels, allegedly being labeled as “terrorists” by right-wing groups. Several students fled cities like Dehradun for safety.
India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh vowed swift and decisive retaliation, suggesting both the perpetrators and planners of the Kashmir attack would face consequences. Meanwhile, India claimed it was engaged in military operations with suspected militants in Pahalgam and Baramulla.
Pakistan’s federal ministers condemned India’s decision to suspend the water treaty. Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari called it “water warfare,” while Water Resources Minister Mian Moeen Wattoo stated that India had no legal authority to withdraw from an internationally brokered pact unilaterally.
Former ambassador Maleeha Lodhi and ex-minister Khawaja Saad Rafique echoed concerns over India’s lack of evidence and its disregard for international norms.
As both nations dig in their heels, fears grow of a spiraling conflict with global ramifications.
