Seema Haider: Tensions Rise Amid India-Pakistan Diplomatic Row
As the diplomatic row between India and Pakistan continues to escalate, the international community is urging both countries to exercise restraint and find a peaceful solution to the crisis. The situation has led to increased tensions between the two countries, with reports of harassment of Kashmiri students in India and emotional farewells for the victims of the attack.
Pakistan has suspended all visas for Indian nationals and expelled some Indian diplomats in response to a recent attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, prompting India to take several diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including shutting the Attari-Wagah border and cancelling visa services for Pakistani nationals.
The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, was carried out by a group of gunmen who fired on tourists near the resort town of Pahalgam, killing 26 people, including 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen. Indian police have named three suspects, including two Pakistani citizens and a local Kashmiri man, as members of the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack, with its National Security Committee stating that there is no credible evidence to link the attack to Pakistan.
Pakistan's National Security Committee (NSC) warned that any Indian attempt to stop or divert the flow of water under the Indus Waters Treaty would be considered an "act of war." The statement came after India suspended the 1960 treaty, citing the recent Pahalgam attack. The NSC also announced a series of retaliatory measures, including the suspension of trade with India, closure of airspace to Indian airlines, and the reduction of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the NSC meeting, which was attended by top government and military officials. The committee reviewed India's actions and termed them "unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible, and devoid of legal merit." Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the country would not succumb to external pressure and any aggression from the Indian side would be responded to in a befitting manner.
The situation between India and Pakistan has escalated further, with both countries imposing restrictions on each other's citizens and suspending trade and diplomatic ties. The international community is watching the situation closely, hoping for a peaceful resolution to the tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.