In a strong diplomatic escalation following the deadly April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam — which claimed the lives of 26 civilians — India has suspended all visa services for Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday that all existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked from April 27.
Medical visas will remain valid only till April 29, after which all Pakistani citizens currently residing in India must exit the country before the expiration of their amended visas.
The suspension follows another major announcement made earlier this week — the cancellation of the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals. This decision was taken during a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that all SVES visas issued to Pakistani citizens are now deemed invalid and any Pakistani under the scheme must leave India within 48 hours.
What is the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES)?
Established in 1992 to promote regional cooperation and ease travel across the eight SAARC member countries — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan — the SVES allowed visa-free travel for select categories of individuals. These included diplomats, Members of Parliament, judges, journalists, business leaders, athletes, and cultural ambassadors, who could travel using special visa stickers valid for one year.
India’s revocation of the SVES for Pakistan is unprecedented and signifies a sharp diplomatic downgrade. It is also one of several measures announced in the aftermath of the terror attack, which was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-based proxy of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group.
Key implications of the recent announcements:
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All valid Indian visas for Pakistani nationals, including SVES stickers, stand cancelled.
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Pakistani nationals under SVES must vacate India within 48 hours.
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All visa-free movement under SVES — including diplomatic, cultural, and journalistic missions — is suspended.
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Medical visas remain temporarily valid till April 29, 2025.
The visa suspension and SVES rollback are part of India’s broader strategy to intensify diplomatic pressure on Pakistan. Earlier actions included suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari check post, expelling Pakistani military attachés, and slashing diplomatic staff at both High Commissions.
These moves come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed during a rally in Bihar that “India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth.”
