Pakistan on Thursday said that India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty was an “act of war” and warned that it would respond with “full force across the complete spectrum of National Power”.

Islamabad also suspended all trade with India, including via third countries, with immediate effect.

On Wednesday, India said it was suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with immediate effect until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” stops its support for cross-border terrorism. India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 with the World Bank as an additional signatory, to divide the water of the Indus river and its tributaries equitably between the two countries.

Islamabad called New Delhi’s actions “unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit”, according to a statement of Pakistan’s National Security Committee published by Dawn.

The Pakistani government announced the closure of its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines and the shutdown of the Wagah border crossing. New Delhi had also announced that the Attari-Wagah border crossing would be closed with immediate effect.

All cross-border transit through Wagah has been suspended, except for those already in transit who must return by 30 April.

Pakistan declared India’s defence, naval and air advisers in Islamabad as persona non grata and directed them to leave by 30 April. In diplomatic parlance, a persona non grata is a foreign diplomat or staff member deemed unwelcome by the host country.

The Indian advisers’ support staff have also been ordered to leave Pakistan. The strength of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad will be reduced to 30 diplomats and staff from May.

Islamabad also suspended all SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas issued to Indian nationals – except for Sikh pilgrims – and instructed those currently in Pakistan under the scheme to leave the country within 48 hours.

The SVES enables travel for select groups of individuals like dignitaries, judges of higher courts, parliamentarians, senior officials, businessmen, journalists and sportsmen without a visa.

The committee said: “Any threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains.” It also condemned what it called “extremely irresponsible warmongering” by Indian state-controlled media.

The committee added that the terror attack must not be used as a “reflexive blame game” or to “foment terrorism inside Pakistan.”

Pakistan said it retains “incontrovertible proof” of Indian-sponsored terrorism on its soil, citing the case of Indian Navy officer Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, who had been sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan in April 2017 for allegedly spying for India. Pakistan had been directed by the International Court of Justice in 2019 to ensure a review of Jadhav’s conviction.

The Pakistani government also accused India of extraterritorial assassinations in violation of international law, which it said had been exposed recently with “undeniable evidence”. In December, The Washington Post reported that India’s Research and Analysis Wing allegedly executed a methodical assassination programme to kill about half a dozen individuals in Pakistan from 2021 onward.

India, meanwhile, summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat in New Delhi and announced a series of measures after Tuesday’s terror attack in the Baisaran area of Anantnag district, in Jammu and Kashmir.

Twenty-six men were killed when militants opened fire at tourists, most of whom were from outside the state. Seventeen others were injured. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of the dead were Hindu.

India has suspended visa services for Pakistani citizens and said all valid visas would be revoked from 27 April, except medical visas, which will remain valid until 29 April. Pakistani nationals in India under the SAARC visa scheme were given 48 hours to leave. India’s Ministry of External Affairs also advised its citizens against travelling to Pakistan and urged those already there to return.

India declared Pakistan’s defence, military, naval and air advisers in New Delhi persona non grata and said it would withdraw its defence advisers from Islamabad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed strong action in a speech on Thursday, saying the punishment for the attack would be “bigger than what the terrorists imagine”.

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