Doha: Pakistan on Thursday closed its airspace to Indian airlines and rejected New Delhi's suspension of a water-sharing treaty. This was in response to actions taken by New Delhi following an armed attack two days earlier on a group of tourists in the Indian-administered part of the disputed Kashmir region.
According to Qatar News Agency, Islamabad announced a series of countermeasures against India, downgrading diplomatic relations, suspending trade, and closing a major land border crossing. The office of Pakistani Prime Minister issued a statement declaring Indian naval and air defense advisors in Islamabad persona non grata and ordered them to leave Pakistan immediately.
The statement also said that visas granted to Indian citizens will be revoked, with few exceptions, adding that all borders will be closed, trade will be halted, and airspace will be closed to Indian-owned or operated airlines.
These escalating measures by Islamabad come after the Indian government announced the suspension of a water-sharing treaty with its neighbor, the closure of the main land border crossing, and telling all Pakistanis present in its territory to leave within 48 hours. It also reduced the number of Pakistani High Commission staff in the country from 55 to 30.
At least 24 people were killed in an armed attack targeting a group of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, with New Delhi authorities accusing its neighbor of involvement in the incident.