Pakistan closes skies to Indian flights over water treaty dispute

ISLAMABAD,— Pakistan shut down its airspace to Indian carriers and dismissed India’s halt of a decades-old water-sharing agreement on Thursday, amid rising tensions triggered by a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The diplomatic fallout marks one of the lowest points in recent India-Pakistan relations.

The two nuclear-armed neighbors, who have fought three wars, are now in a fresh standoff after 26 civilians were shot dead at a well-known tourist destination in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on Tuesday. It was India’s deadliest civilian attack since the 2008 Mumbai assault.

India said the killings were linked to Pakistan-based actors and, in response, suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded diplomatic ties, and sealed the Wagah land crossing — the only road connection between the two countries.

Indian police released details of three suspects, claiming two were from Pakistan. However, authorities have not yet provided further evidence.

Islamabad responded Thursday by banning Indian airlines from its airspace, suspending trade — including through third-party nations — and halting regional visas for Indian citizens.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s office added it would put all bilateral pacts, including the 1972 Simla Agreement, on hold until India stops what it called “state-sponsored terrorism” against Pakistan.

The Simla Agreement, signed following the 1971 war, serves as the framework for India-Pakistan ties and mandates ceasefire compliance in Kashmir.

No immediate comments came from Indian officials.

Pakistan’s sovereign bonds fell more than four cents on the dollar amid investor concern over regional instability.

The Muslim-majority region of Kashmir remains a flashpoint between New Delhi and Islamabad. It has sparked two of their three conflicts and continues to witness periodic violence despite reduced insurgency in recent years.

Pakistan also strongly objected to India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it an “act of war” if India blocks Pakistan’s share of the river system.

The treaty, brokered by the World Bank, has survived past wars, dividing the Indus basin between the two nations.

India’s move could affect Pakistan’s irrigation and hydropower capacity, which rely heavily on the river’s flow from upstream Indian territory.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged swift retribution, saying the attackers would be hunted down and “punished beyond their imagination.” Speaking at a rally in Bihar, Modi refrained from naming Pakistan but emphasized the attack targeted the “soul of India.”

India also suspended all visa services for Pakistani nationals and invalidated previously granted visas.

Outside the Pakistani embassy in New Delhi, protesters shouted slogans and pushed against barricades. Meanwhile, a Bollywood film featuring Pakistani actor Fawad Khan is set to be shelved, Indian media reported.

Diplomatic relations were already strained after India stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its autonomy in 2019 — a move Pakistan condemned and responded to by downgrading ties and recalling its envoy.

India has consistently accused Pakistan of backing Islamist insurgents in the disputed region — a charge Islamabad denies, claiming only to support a peaceful self-determination movement.

(With files from Reuters)