In a significant escalation of diplomatic fallout following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian government has directed all Pakistani nationals in the country on medical visas to leave within five days. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), these visas will remain valid only until April 29, effectively giving affected individuals just three days' notice to exit the country.

This decision is part of a broader suite of punitive actions unveiled by India in response to the April 22 massacre in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley, where 26 lives were lost—25 of them Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has triggered a severe diplomatic backlash.

As per the MEA statement, all existing visas issued to Pakistani nationals have been revoked effective April 27, and all future visa services for Pakistanis have been suspended indefinitely. “Pakistani nationals currently in India must depart before the revised expiry of their visas,” the ministry declared.

This announcement follows a series of decisive actions taken by New Delhi in recent days. These include:
• The expulsion of Pakistani defence advisors and military attaches posted at their High Commission in New Delhi, who have been declared persona non grata and given a week to leave.
• The withdrawal of Indian defence advisors from Islamabad.
• Termination of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals, with a directive that current holders must exit India within 48 hours.
• The immediate shutdown of the Attari land transit point and suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

In retaliation, Pakistan swiftly imposed countermeasures, including closing its airspace to Indian carriers, sealing the Wagah border, and halting all trade with India. Islamabad also issued a stern warning, declaring that any attempt by India to alter the flow of waters allocated to Pakistan under the Indus Treaty would be interpreted as an “Act of War.”

The office of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned India’s sweeping reprisals, accusing New Delhi of using the Pahalgam incident to push a "narrow political agenda" and calling the steps “reflexive and exploitative.” The statement also reiterated Pakistan's intent to respond "firmly and across all domains" to any perceived threat to its sovereignty.

The diplomatic standoff comes amid widespread national mourning and anger in India, with New Delhi making it clear that it is prepared to reassess long-standing arrangements and agreements in its bid to hold Pakistan accountable for cross-border terror.