India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in the aftermath of a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), that killed 26 tourists and injured 17 others, according to media reports.
The attack marks the deadliest assault on civilians in the region since 2000. Gunmen opened fire on a group of visitors on Tuesday, sparking widespread panic and a heavy military response. Pahalgam, located 90 km from Srinagar, is a scenic town that draws thousands of tourists annually.
The deceased, mostly men from across India and one from Nepal, included a navy officer. Ambulances transported the bodies to Srinagar, while military helicopters scoured the forested hills for the assailants.
Indian authorities have launched a massive search operation, deploying hundreds of security personnel and summoning suspected sympathisers for questioning.
The army claimed to have killed two suspected fighters in a separate incident in the Uri sector and stated that the search for the attackers remains ongoing.
A previously unknown outfit, reportedly calling itself ‘The Resistance Front’, has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Indian media. However, no official group has been verified as responsible.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the “heinous act,” promising that those responsible “will hear our response loud and clear.” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh echoed the threat, vowing that planners “on our land” would also be targeted.
The fallout extended to diplomatic and security levels. Modi convened a high-level security meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cut short a foreign tour, while Home Minister Amit Shah traveled to the region to oversee the response.
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a decades-old water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan, marks a significant escalation. Though Indian media and social media accounts were quick to blame Pakistan, no official statement directly accused Islamabad.
This story is being updated.
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