India hits Pak hard, reduces diplomatic presence & curbs travel

“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,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced on Wednesday (April 23, 2025)

“The CCS also declared defence, Navy, and Air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission here as persona non grata (PNG). “They have a week to leave India. India will be withdrawing its own defence, Navy, Air advisers from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled. Five support staff of the Service Advisers will also be withdrawn from both High Commissions,” he said,

The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme was launched in 1992. The Fourth Summit, which took place in Islamabad in December 1988, decided that certain categories of dignitaries from SAARC countries should be entitled to a Special Travel document that would exempt them from visas within the region.