Pahalgam terror attack: India announces key decisions, and all other updates from Wednesday

India unveiled several diplomatic measures following the meeting of its Cabinet Committee on Security late Wednesday.

These measures include the suspension of a key water-sharing treaty, the shutting of the main land border crossing between the neighbours and a raft of diplomatic staff reductions, including withdrawing several Indian staff from Islamabad and ordering Pakistanis home.

The CCS meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took these crucial decisions.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that CCS discussed the cross-border linkages of the attack and decided on a series of steps to give a strong message to Pakistan for its support.

As per the decision, the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, and the integrated checkpost at Attari will be closed with immediate effect.

“Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025," he said.

Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC visa Exemption scheme. Any SPES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SPES visa has 48 hours to leave India.

Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Advisers in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been declared persona non grata and they have a week to leave India.

The overall strength of the High Commissions will be reduced to 30 from the current 55 through further reductions, to be implemented by May 1, 2025.

Indian Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who got married just six days ago, was given a heartfelt farewell by his wife Himanshi on Wednesday evening in Haryana’s Karnal town by embracing his coffin wrapped in the Tricolour.

The young officer was laid to rest with full state honours. The 26-year-old Navy officer got married on April 16. He was among 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Kashmir.

As Lieutenant Narwal’s body reached Delhi earlier in the day, his wife clutched his coffin and broke down in grief.

Mumbai airport descended into gloom after the dead bodies of four Maharashtra tourists were received by their relatives on Wednesday.

The victims have been identified as Dilip Desle (Panvel) and Sanjay Lele, Hemant Joshi, and Atul Mone (Dombivli).

The relatives of these victims were in a state of shock, there was palpable anger, and they were in tears.

One of the relatives of Desle was insisting that she wanted to see the face of Dilip Desle, but the authorities politely turned her request down.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday, hours after he returned to the national capital after cutting short his visit to Saudi Arabia.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

A gunfight between the security forces and the terrorists has broken out in Jammu & Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday, hours after two terrorists were killed.

Officials said that the security forces surrounded the Tangmarg area in Kulgam after getting intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists there.

India's defence minister Rajnath Singh vowed a swift response to those who carried out and planned the Kashmir region's worst attack on civilians in years.

"Those responsible and behind such an act will very soon hear our response, loud and clear," Singh said in a speech in New Delhi, a day after gunmen killed 26 men at a tourist hotspot in the contested Himalayan region.

"We won't just reach those people who carried out the attack. We will also reach out to those who planned this from behind the scenes on our land."

Singh did not identify those he believes are responsible for the killings, but said that "India's government will take every step that may be necessary and appropriate".

Several airlines, including SpiceJet and Air India, have issued travel advisories for their passengers following Pahalgam attack.

SpiceJet have extended waivers on rescheduling and cancellations for travel to and from Srinagar until April 30. The condition is applied to the tickets which have been booked before or on April 22.

According to an advisory issued by Air India, the airline has capped fares on flights from Srinagar to Mumbai and Delhi to ensure affordability for passengers. Air India is also offering complimentary rescheduling and full refunds on cancellations to passengers with confirmed bookings till April 30, 2025.

One woman survivor of the Pahalgam terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir described how men in uniform emerged from forests at a meadow where tourists were enjoying the peace of nature.

Survivors said they had assumed they were policemen.

“They were there at least for 20 minutes, undeterred, moving around and opening fire”, The Indian Express newspaper reported quoting the survivor as saying.

“It seemed like an eternity”.

“I cannot say how many, but the militants came out of the forest near an open small meadow and started firing,” an eyewitness, who provides ponies for tourists, told AFP.

Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have condemned the attack in Pahalgam, calling it an inhumane act of violence.

Expressing his condolences, Shah Rukh said, “Words fail to express the sadness and anger at the treachery and inhumane act of violence that has occurred in Pahalgam. In times like these, one can only turn to God and say a prayer for the families that suffered.”

Salman Khan in a tweet also said that his heart went out to the families who lost their loved ones in the attack.

Bihar Police has gone on high alert, ramping up security across key tourist and pilgrimage destinations in the state, in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Vigilance has been upped at popular tourist hubs including Rajgir's ropeway, zoo-safari, and nature-safari, as well as sacred sites in the forests and hills, notably the Panch Hills, Vishwa Shanti Sthal, Ashok Stupa, Venuvan, and Vulture Peak, revered as spiritual centres of Buddhist pilgrimage.

High-level surveillance teams have been mobilised to monitor sensitive zones, including the Nalanda ruins, Rajgir, Pawapuri, and other major attractions.

In Gaya, security at the Mahabodhi Temple — a UNESCO World Heritage site and global Buddhist pilgrimage centre — has been bolstered.

A day after the attack, tourists scrambled to leave Pahalgam, cramming into buses and taxis, while hoteliers reported a surge of cancellations.

The site of the attack reverberated with the thumping sounds of military helicopters taking part in a vast manhunt for the attackers, AFP reports.

Around 24 hours after the attack, smears of blood were still visible at the site, now patrolled by soldiers dressed in bulletproof jackets.

Soldiers guarded the entrance as forensic investigators collected evidence.

The Bollywood film Abir Gulaal, starring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan is facing significant backlash in India following Pahalgam attack.

Social media platforms have seen a surge in calls for a boycott of the film, with some users questioning his inclusion.

Political opposition has also emerged, notably from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), which has declared that it will not permit the film's release in Maharashtra due to Khan's nationality.

Iran's Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu anad Kashmir.

In an official statement, Iran's Foreign Ministry said that Baqaei described this heinous act as a grave crime.

"Iran's Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the city of Pahalgam, India, which resulted in the death and injury of a number of Indian nationals as well as citizens of other countries," the statement said.

German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann expressed his condolences to the people who became victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Ackermann also said that he condemned the terror attack in the region, which left dozens dead and even more injured.

"We strongly condemn the brutal terrorist attack targeting tourists in Pahalgam. We are deeply saddened, and our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones. My sincere condolences to the people of India."

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the dastardly attack, calling it 'heinous'.

"A heinous attack has struck India, claiming the lives of dozens of men and women from all walks of life. We share the profound sorrow of the victims' families, to whom I extend my heartfelt condolences," he said.

EaseMyTrip Founder and Chairman Nishant Pitti announced on Wednesday that they have extended free rescheduling and cancellation waivers for all bookings until April 30.

"To ensure flexibility, we have extended free change and cancellation waivers for all bookings made on or before April 22, applicable for travel up to April 30. In light of the ongoing situation in Srinagar, we at EaseMyTrip are fully committed to supporting our customers who are travelling to or from Srinagar. We understand the uncertainty this situation may cause and are here to minimise any inconvenience to your travel plans," Pitti posted on X.

Beijing's foreign ministry offered "sincere sympathies" on Wednesday following an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed dozens.

"We mourn the victims and extend our sincere sympathies to the families of the victims and the injured," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said, adding China "strongly condemns this attack".

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Corporal, Tage Hailyang, hailing from Arunachal Pradesh, was among those killed in the terror attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said Corporal Hailyang was posted at the IAF base in Srinagar.

In a post on the X, the Chief Minister said: "Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Corporal Tage Hailyang of the Indian Air Force, a brave son of Arunachal Pradesh who hailed from Tajang village in Lower Subansiri."

"While visiting Pahalgam with his wife, Hailyang's life was cruelly taken in a senseless act of terror. He served the nation with courage and honour, and his untimely death is a great loss not only to his family but to the entire country," CM Khandu said.

Pakistan's Foreign Office issued a brief statement. "We are concerned at the loss of tourists' lives in an attack in Anantnag district… We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery," it said.

Pahalgam terror victim Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a horse rider and the sole breadwinner for his family.

Syed Adil Hussain Shah's father, Syed Haider Shah, said, "My son was the only one who earned for our family. He went to Pahalgam yesterday to work, and around 3 PM, we heard about the attack. We called him, but his phone was switched off. Later, at 4:30pm, his phone turned on, but no one answered. We rushed to the police station, and that's when we learned that he had been injured in the attack. My son was martyred, and he was the only earner of our family. We want justice for his death. He was an innocent man. Why was he killed? Whoever is responsible must face the consequences."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid his tributes to the victims by laying a wreath at a poignant ceremony outside the Police Control Room in Srinagar, on Wednesday.

The attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which targeted innocent tourists, has sparked a wave of condemnation from both political leaders and celebrities alike.

Prominent figures from the entertainment industry have taken to social media to express their outrage and call for swift justice.

Actor Sanjay Dutt voiced his anger, posting a message on his official X handle on Wednesday.

He wrote, "They killed our people in cold blood. This can't be forgiven, these terrorists need to know we are not staying quiet. We need to retaliate, I request our Prime Minister @narendramodi ji, Home Minister @AmitShah ji and Defence Minister @rajnathsingh ji to give them what they deserve."

The Civil Aviation Ministry stated that it has arranged four additional flights from Kashmir - two each to Delhi and Mumbai - on Wednesday for the safe transfer of tourists from the region following the gruesome terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday.

According to a statement from the office of Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Naidu spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the current travel situation from the valley to facilitate additional flights from Srinagar.

A 26-year-old Navy officer, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who got married on April 16, from Haryana's Karnal city, was among 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was on honeymoon in Pahalgam when the tragedy occurred. His wife, Himanshi, hails from Gurugram. 

Gunmen in Indian-run Kashmir killed 26 people on Tuesday, according to a hospital list of the dead that was verified by police, the region's deadliest attack on civilians since 2000.

All the dead listed are men, and all bar one were resident in India. One man was listed as living in Nepal.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi decried the "heinous act" and pledged that the attackers "will be brought to justice". Modi, who cut short a state visit to Saudi Arabia to return to India early Wednesday, met with top security officials immediately on his arrival, a government official said.

UP Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar has issued a high alert across the state following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He has instructed the police to remain extra cautious, especially in sensitive and border districts.

The DGP has ordered close monitoring of rail, road, and air traffic in view of any suspicious foreign activity. Security has been tightened in areas bordering Nepal, as well as at bus and railway stations.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the attack had been "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years". "This attack on our visitors is an abomination," Abdullah said in a statement after the attack.

"The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and worthy of contempt."

No group has so far claimed responsibility.