India orders Pakistanis to leave within 72 hours, revokes medical and all other types of visa

Pakistan has issued similar orders for Indian expatriated living there

Following the terrorist attack in Kashmir, India has decided to revoke all types of visas for Pakistani nationals, including those issued for medical purposes, reports NDTV.

Pakistani citizens currently in India have been ordered to leave the country within 72 hours. Visa processing for Pakistani nationals has also been suspended.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has advised Indian citizens in Pakistan to return home as soon as possible, and urged others to avoid travelling to the neighbouring country.

The measures follow an emergency meeting that took place on Wednesday, after an attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region killed 26 people.

Pakistan-based militant group The Resistance Front (TRF), which is a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the assault.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the visa cancellations in a statement issued on Thursday. According to the ministry, all visas granted to Pakistani nationals will be revoked effective Sunday, Apr 27.

Medical visas will remain valid until Tuesday, Apr 29. Those currently in India must leave before their visa expiry.

This decision entails a 72-hour window for all Pakistanis to leave India, with an extra 48 hours for patients on a medical visa.

With visa issuance suspended, Pakistanis will not be allowed to travel to India until further notice.

Islamabad, however, has denied any involvement in the Kashmir attack. In response to India's five-point measures, Pakistan has announced eight retaliatory steps, alongside a strongly worded statement criticising several Indian policies.

The countermeasures announced by Pakistan include:

• Suspending trade with India

• Closing its airspace to Indian aircraft

• Shutting down the Wagah border crossing

• Declaring any Indian attempt to block Indus water as an act of war

• Suspension of all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement

• Cancellation of all SAARC visas issued to Indian nationals

• A 48-hour deadline for Indian nationals to leave Pakistan

• Reduction of Indian diplomatic staff and declaring India’s military attachés persona non grata

According to NDTV, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office released a statement, saying: “Any threat to Pakistan's sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains.”

Criticising India’s firm positions on the diplomatic relationship with Pakistan, the statement said: “India should refrain from its reflexive blame game and cynical staged, managed exploitation of incidents like Pahalgam to further its narrow political agenda.”