Pakistan government’s X handle withheld in India following Pahalgam terror attack

Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, tensions between India and Pakistan have further escalated and the official X account of the Government of Pakistan has been withheld in India.

Users attempting to access @GovtofPakistan on ‘X’ in India see a message stating that the account has been withheld in response to a legal demand.

Terrorists gunned down 26 people, mostly tourists in Pahalgam on April 22. The brutal assault, which took place in the Baisaran meadow area of Anantnag district, left many injured and shook the nation.

Following the attack, India took strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.

At the CCS meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.

India has also decided to close the integrated Attari Check Post with immediate effect. Furthermore, the country has decided to cancel any visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and has ordered Pakistan to leave the country within 48 hours.

India declared the Defence/Military, Naval, and Air Advisors at the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week.

As a security measure, India has decided to withdraw its own Defence, Navy, and Air Advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.

The overall strength of the high commissions will be reduced to 30 from the current 55 through further reductions, effective as of May 1, 2025.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the decisions in a press briefing on Wednesday after the CEC meeting.