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Pak says attempt to divert water under Indus Waters Treaty will be considered Act of War; announces suspension of trade, bilateral accords, airspaces with India
The Centre convened an all-party meeting on the Pahalgam terror attack on Thursday (April 24) evening, where it briefed the leaders of various political parties on the attack and heard their views.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Bihar addressing pre-election rallies, did not attend the meeting. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affair Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Jaishankar and Shah met President Droupadi Murmu during the day.
Pakistan's counter-measures
Across the border, Pakistan said any move to divert water meant for it under the Indus Water Treaty would be considered an Act of War as it announced the suspension of trade, bilateral accords, including the Simla Agreement, and airspaces with India. These were among other moves in retaliation to New Delhi's measures against the country in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
The announcements were made after a meeting chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to formulate the country's response to India's move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Modi’s tough talk
In his first statement since the April 22 carnage, Modi, speaking from Bihar, sent a stern warning to the perpetrators of the attack and asserted that India would identify, track and punish every terrorist involved in the incident and their backers “beyond their imagination”.
“This attack was not merely on unarmed tourists; the country’s enemies have dared to attack the soul of Bharat (India),” he said. “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is served. The entire nation stands firm in this resolve.”
We “will pursue them (Pahalgam attackers) to the end of earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism,” Modi chose to state in English. Before starting his speech, Modi, along with the public, observed a minute of silence to pay homage to the 26 Pahalgam victims.
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Live Updates
- 24 April 2025 12:49 PM GMT
Pahalgam terror attack: Assam to pay ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to families of all 26 killed
The Assam government on Thursday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for families of all 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
Assam had reeled under insurgency for long and "we can understand the pain of the families, he added.
Addressing a press conference here, Himanta said, “Our government has decided to offer this small amount as a token of respect for the sacrifice made by the deceased and their families.” Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday.
- 24 April 2025 12:46 PM GMT
Centre should have invited party presidents for all party meeting says TMC
Questioning the Centre's move of inviting only "parliamentary parties" the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Thursday said the government should have invited the presidents of political parties for the all-party meet on the Pahalgam terror attack.
"Have they called an all-party meeting or an all-parliamentary party meeting?" asked a TMC leader who did not want to be named.
"When the matter if of such serious concern, the presidents of all parties should have been called at the meeting," the TMC leader said, adding that party chief Mamata Banerjee would have attended the deliberations in that case. TMC's Lok Sabha leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay will represent the party at the meeting on Thursday evening.
- 24 April 2025 12:29 PM GMT
AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam arrested for defending Pakistan in Pahalgam terror attack: Assam CM
Assam's opposition AIUDF MLA Aminul Islam was arrested on Thursday on sedition charges for allegedly defending Pakistan and its complicity in the Pahalgam terror attack, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.
“We have seen a video where the MLA is defending Pakistan and its complicity in the attack. I had instructed the police to take action and accordingly, the DGP has informed me that he has been arrested,” Sarma told reporters.
"The MLA will be produced before a court and we will take the case to its logical conclusion,” he added.
- 24 April 2025 12:25 PM GMT
BSP chief Mayawati questions government over 'security lapse' at Pahalgam
Condemning the Pahalgam terror attack as a "highly gruesome" massacre, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Thursday questioned authorities over the security lapse at the key tourist location.
She said it was natural for the public to get angry, as she demanded accountability from the BJP-led Centre over the security breach.
"The highly gruesome massacre of tourists by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists in Pahalgam, one of the country's prominent tourist destinations, has deeply shocked the nation. The absence of adequate security at such an important location during the tourism season makes this tragedy all the more distressing. Public outrage and anger are natural, and accountability is essential," Mayawati said on X.
- 24 April 2025 12:09 PM GMT
Pahalgam terror attack : Army Chief to visit Srinagar
Days after the Pahalgam terror attack which left 26 civilians dead, Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi is travelling to Srinagar to carry out a comprehensive review of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
Top Army Commanders will brief Gen Dwivedi on various aspects of the security scenario, military sources said. It is not immediately clear whether the Army chief will travel to Pahalgam.
India on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam carnage.
The punitive measures against Pakistan were decided at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- 24 April 2025 12:00 PM GMT
Rahul Gandhi wants to divide people on caste lines, Pahelgam terrorists wanted to know victims' religion: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
Accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of trying to divide Hindus on the basis of castes, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the terrorists who perpetrated the Pahalgam attack just wanted to know the religion of the victims.
Addressing a panchayat poll rally in Hojai, Sarma said there was no room for caste-based politics in the country at the moment.
"Terrorists earlier never asked about the religious identities of their targets, but in Pahalgam, victims were asked about their faith. When they replied that they were Hindus, the men were shot dead right in front of their wives," he said.
"Is it a crime to be a Hindu? Hindus have been in India for 5,000 years and will remain here. Such acts are not acceptable," he asserted.
Maintaining that people of all religions were safe under the BJP government, Sarma urged everyone to unite in the fight against terrorism.
"Hindus and Muslims have to fight terrorism together, have to work together," he said.
