In a series of escalating tit-for-tat moves since a massacre of Indian tourists in the disputed region of Kashmir earlier this week by Islamic militants, India ordered its citizens to return from Pakistan, while Pakistan expelled a number of Indian diplomats. The fast-rising tensions between the two countries follow the killing of 25 Indian tourists and a Nepalese national on Tuesday, the worst assault targeting civilians in the restive region for years. It prompted India to renew its blaming of Pakistan for sustaining “cross-border terrorism”, a claim Pakistan denies. The toughest language, however, was aimed at India’s decision to suspend the decades-old Indus waters treaty – the world’s most durable water-sharing agreement – which is vital for Pakistani agriculture. The Indus waters treaty, mediated by the World Bank, splits the Indus River and its tributaries between the neighbours and regulates the sharing of water.

Source: The Guardian April 24, 2025 20:28 UTC