Islamabad, Apr 23 (PTI) Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday night said that the top civilian and military leadership will meet on Thursday to formulate an appropriate response to India’s move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties.

India on Wednesday suspended the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and announced downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan, including expulsion of its military attaches in view of cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.

“A session of the National Security Committee will be held under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,” Asif said in a statement.

He added that decisions will be taken to give “an appropriate response to the Indian steps”.

All services chiefs and key cabinet ministers would attend the meeting.

Such meetings are summoned on key occasions when the issues related to national security are to be discussed.  In New Delhi, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met Tuesday evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and firmed up the responses to the terror attack.

The CCS also decided to close the Integrated Check Post at Attari with immediate effect.

Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and any such visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. PTI SH ZH ZH