- Home Minister convenes high-level security meeting, instructing CMs of all states to ‘identify and remove’ Pakistani citizens from their respective states
- Pahalgam FIR, filed 10 minutes after attack, suggests Indian narrative was pre-scripted
- Muslim lawmaker arrested in India for challenging govt’s Pahalgam narrative
NEW DELHI: Indian authorities continued with its swept escalating moves following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam and have suspended all visas issued to Pakistani nationals, directed the deportation of Pakistanis residing in India.
A day earlier, New Delhi had formally announced holding the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a high-level security meeting on Friday, following which chief ministers of all states were instructed to “identify and remove” Pakistani citizens from their respective states. The Ministry of External Affairs had earlier announced the immediate suspension of visa services for all Pakistani nationals, with those on medical visas granted a grace period until April 29.
The measures followed what Indian officials have described as a terrorist attack targeting Hindu tourists at the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Twenty-five Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen were killed, while multiple others were wounded.
On Wednesday, the Indian Cabinet Committee on Security approved a series of retaliatory actions. These include shutting down the Attari land transit point, advising Indian nationals against travelling to Pakistan, and formally notifying Islamabad of the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
In response, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) on Thursday warned that any attempt by India to block water flow into Pakistan would be treated as an act of war. The statement followed a high-level NSC meeting, which also approved the closure of the Wagah border crossing.
On Friday, the Senate of Pakistan unanimously passed a resolution rejecting India’s allegations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack, calling them baseless and politically motivated.
FIR of Pahalgam attack casts doubt on New Delhi’s claims
Meanwhile, the First Information Report (FIR) filed at an Indian police station has cast doubt on New Delhi’s claims regarding the recent deadly incident in Pahalgam, with security officials calling it a potential false flag operation.
According to security sources, the FIR was lodged just 10 minutes after the attack ended — an unusually swift filing that has raised concerns about premeditation.
The Pahalgam police station is located six kilometres from the scene of the attack.
The FIR registered at 14:30 states that the assault occurred between 13:50 and 14:20pm local time. Sources argue that this timeline suggests foreknowledge of the incident.
The FIR names “unknown cross-border terrorists” as the perpetrators, with language indicating foreign backing — phrases like “at the behest of foreign handlers” appear prominently.
Observers say such terminology suggests the narrative was scripted in advance.
Indian authorities and media have portrayed the incident as a case of targeted killing, but the FIR describes it as indiscriminate firing — further deepening discrepancies.
The document’s timing and contents have prompted Pakistani officials to accuse the Modi government of fabricating the Pahalgam attack for political gain.
Muslim lawmaker arrested in India for challenging govt’s Pahalgam narrative
Furthermore, Aminul Islam, a Muslim member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Dhing constituency of India’s Assam state, was arrested for questioning the official narrative surrounding the recent Pahalgam attack in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Islam, who represents the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), during a political rally, had suggested that the attack in Pahalgam could be a “false flag operation” orchestrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking at a rally on April 23, Islam implied that both the Pahalgam attack on April 22 and the 2019 Pulwama bombing were potentially engineered to advance political interests, particularly in the lead-up to elections.
“In 2019, I called Pulwama a conspiracy. To date, there has been no proper probe,” he stated. Regarding the Pahalgam attack, he remarked, “Survivors said attackers fired indiscriminately. BJP’s claim of selective targeting is misleading.”
Islam further criticised the government’s response to the incident, warning that failure to conduct an impartial investigation would only fuel suspicions of higher-level involvement.
He also warned that the government’s use of the incident for electoral gain could deepen communal tensions.
Following the remarks, Assam Police arrested Islam for what they termed as a “misleading and provocative” speech that could potentially disturb public order.
The charges against him include violations under the Indian Penal Code, including Section 152 (undermining India’s unity and integrity), Section 196 (inciting enmity between religious or social groups), and Section 113(3) (abetment or conspiracy related to terrorism).
AIUDF leader Badruddin Ajmal swiftly distanced the party from Islam’s statements, clarifying that his comments were personal and did not reflect the party’s official position.
“Terrorism has no religion,” Ajmal emphasised.
