Delhi Govt enforces Centre's order, directs Pakistani nationals to leave after Pahalgam attack

The Delhi government said that it is enforcing the Centre's order, which revokes all existing visas issued to Pakistani citizens -- except for medical, diplomatic, and long-term visas -- with immediate effect.

"All existing valid visas, except Medical visas, Long Term Visas, Diplomatic & Official visas, issued by Government of India to Pak Nationals stands revoked with immediate effect from April 27, 2025," the Home Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, said in a release on Friday.

The existing medical visas will also become invalid after April 29, and no new visas will be issued, it added.

As part of the countermeasures following the Pahalgam terror attack, the central government has taken a series of strong actions against the Pakistani government. These include the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and closure of the integrated check post at Attari border.

The government has cancelled any visas provided SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). India declared Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission as Persona Non Grata and ordered to leave India within a week. India has decided to withdraw its own Defence/Navy/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 Five support staff of the Service Advisors will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions.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 brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effective by 01 May 2025.

Terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured, in one of the deadliest attacks in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. (ANI)