 "Home Minister Amit Shah has vowed not to spare those behind the attack. PTI")
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked all chief ministers to expel Pakistani nationals from their respective states immediately, a day after the government ordered the suspension of all existing visas for citizens from the neighbouring country.
After a high-level meeting, Shah instructed chief ministers to identify and deport Pakistani people back to their country.
India on Thursday announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27 and advised Indian nationals residing in Pakistan to return home at the earliest as tensions between the two countries escalated over the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
The revocation of visas does not apply to the long term visas already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals, which “remain valid”, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
The move is part of a string of actions taken by the Indian government in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam. Earlier this week, New Delhi announced the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post.
The punitive measures against Pakistan were decided at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after the attack.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHow has Pakistan reacted?
Pakistan on Thursday responded to India’s measures by closing its airspace to Indian airlines, as it declared the suspension of IWT an ‘act of war’.
Islamabad has also suspended the Simla Agreement and all bilateral agreements with India, Wagah Border Post, immediately. India has already ordered to shut the crossing down as part of measures announced on Wednesday (April 23).
These decisions were taken during a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) , Pakistan’s top security body.