Under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, certain categories of dignitaries are issued a special travel document. This special instrument exempts them from the need for visas and other travelling documents.

Currently, the list has 24 categories of people, including dignitaries, judges of higher courts, parliamentarians, senior officials, businessmen, journalists and sportsmen

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikam Misri said the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security was briefed about the attack, during which its "cross-border linkages" were brought out.

Read more: India suspends Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, closes Attari border check post

The CCS, which is the highest decision-making body on security matters - chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the expressions of support and solidarity for India from governments around the world, he said.

The foreign secretary said, "Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India."

The attack took place in Pahalgam — a tourist hotspot in the scenic Muslim-majority territory that draws thousands of visitors every summer — and at least 26 people were killed when gunmen opened fire on tourists in the popular destination, AFP reported.

In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Khan said, “We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” he added.

In his other announcements, the Indian foreign secretary said movement at the Attari border check post would be closed with immediate effect. “Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before May 1, 2025,” he added.

Khawaja Asif termed the incident a “false flag operation”. “We cannot ever rule this out, the possibility [that it was a false flag] will be there,” he said.

He added that allegations levelled against Pakistan were unfounded.

“There are plenty of homegrown organisations within India,” Asif said. “We condemn terrorism in all its forms, since Pakistan has been the most affected by terrorism. We are the last country that would support terrorism after the effect it has had on us.”

When asked if Pakistan would be able to provide a military response, Asif recounted when Indian aircraft conducted a bombing in Balakot in 2019.