India blocks Pakistani govt’s X account after IIOJK attack

Following a gunmen attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, the Indian government has blocked the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Pakistani government without any explanation.

It is worth noting that two days ago, 26 people were killed in a mass shooting at a tourist hotspot in the Pahalgam town of occupied Kashmir.

Indian far-right and Hindu nationalist parties have since intensified anti-Pakistan rhetoric, urging the government to launch military strikes on Lahore and Rawalpindi.

While the Indian government has not officially accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, its sweeping retaliatory measures against Islamabad have only inflamed tensions further.

Read: BCCI announces boycott of bilateral cricket with Pakistan after IIOJK attack

Pakistan’s Foreign Office expressed sorrow over the loss of innocent lives in the Pahalgam attack and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. Despite this, the Indian government announced a series of drastic steps on Thursday, including:

• Terminating the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan
• Declaring staff of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi as persona non grata and ordering them to leave the country within a week
• Canceling visas issued to Pakistani citizens under the SAARC program
• Shutting down the Attari border check post
• Reducing the number of Indian High Commission staff in Islamabad from 55 to 30 by May 1
• Recalling the Indian defense attaché from Pakistan
• Declaring all Pakistani defense, military, naval, and air advisors stationed in India as undesirable

In response, Pakistan  convened a meeting of the National Security Committee, where both political and military leadership took critical decisions to counter India’s aggressive actions.

Meanwhile, initial reports suggested that the Pahalgam incident may have resulted from a major intelligence failure and inadequate security arrangements, despite the area being a popular and sensitive tourist destination.

Check: AJK residents debunk India’s false claim of killing terrorists on LOC

Victims and witnesses complained about the lack of immediate security or administrative assistance, saying local Kashmiris were the first to offer help and shelter, while Indian security forces arrived late.

A high-level cabinet meeting chaired by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also decided to suspend all visas for Pakistani citizens.