No Entry, No Exit: Attari-Wagah Border Closed as India Hits Back After Pahalgam Killings

India has closed the Attari-Wagah border crossing with Pakistan as of Thursday, May 1, following the horrific Pahalgam terror incident that killed 26 people, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali person. No one from either side crossed the international land border that day, according to sources, which meant that border movement came to a total standstill due to increased security concerns.

On April 22, a group of highly armed militants opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran valley of Kashmir, which is close to Pahalgam. Massive diplomatic and internal security reactions have resulted from the incident's widespread and international censure.

Orders for Pakistani Nationals to Leave India

Pakistani nationals on short-term visas received a "Leave India" warning from the Indian authorities after the attack. Nine hundred and nine Pakistani nationals have left India in the last week. Fifteen Indian residents with Pakistani visas entered Pakistan on April 30, while 125 Pakistani nationals left through the Attari-Wagah crossing.

at contrast, the same checkpoint at Amritsar, Punjab, has seen 152 Indian nationals and 73 Pakistani nationals with long-term Indian visas enter India, increasing the total to 1,617 and 224, respectively.

When the NIA DG arrives in Pahalgam, the investigation starts.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally assumed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack investigation from the Jammu and Kashmir Police in reaction to the bloodiest civilian attack in Kashmir in almost 20 years. On Thursday, NIA Director General Sadanand Date visited the scene of the incident to supervise the investigation's initial steps.

Under directives from the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation (CTCR) division, the NIA filed a new FIR on Saturday evening after the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the matter to the agency on Sunday. The Resistance Front (TRF), a front group of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was responsible for the attack, according to intelligence reports.

It is anticipated that the NIA team would evaluate the crime scene, carry out a thorough forensic investigation, and identify the individuals involved. According to intelligence sources, as the inquiry continues, a list of 14 active local terrorists is being developed.

In response to cross-border terrorism and growing public outrage over the tragedy, India has taken a tougher position, as evidenced by this decisive security measure, which includes the complete closing of the Indo-Pak border at Attari-Wagah.