Pahalgam attack: How trade, other ties will be impacted after India shuts Wagah-Attari route, cancels Pakistani SAARC visas

In a bid to clamp down on cross-border movement and tighten entry into the country, India has rolled out major measures targeting travel from Pakistan in the diplomatic fallout to the Pahalgam attack.

Among them are the closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari and the cancellation of SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) privileges for Pakistani nationals - seen as coordinated steps to restrict avenues of entry following the Pahalgam terror attack.

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Together, these moves effectively seal off key formal channels through which Pakistani citizens could legally access India, underscoring New Delhi’s intent to respond with both diplomatic and border control actions in the face of escalating security threats.

Announcing the new measures, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Wednesday, “The integrated checkpost at Attari will be closed with immediate effect. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 1st May 2025.”

Impact of Wagah-Attari closure


The closure of the Attari-Wagah border crossing, the first and only permissible trade route between India and Pakistan, marks a significant escalation in India’s response to cross-border terrorism. Located near Amritsar, India, and Wagah, Pakistan, the corridor has continued to facilitate the exchange of goods and people, despite ongoing tensions and a decline in trade since 2018.

Key exports from India include soybean, chicken feed, vegetables, red chilies, plastic dana, and plastic yarn; whereas, imports from Pakistan have included dry fruits, dry dates, gypsum, cement, glass, rock salt, and various herbs.

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The route is also used to for goods trade between India and Afghanistan. Moreover, the Attari Land Port, spread over 120 acres, has direct access to the National Highway I.

Its closure is expected to disrupt the movement of goods between the countries, significantly impacting bilateral trade. In 2023-24, the land port saw trade worth Rs 3,886.53 crore, with 6,871 cargo movements and 71,563 passenger crossings.

Its shutdown underscores India’s intensified diplomatic stance against what it perceives as state-supported terrorism from Pakistan.


Pakistani SAARC visa holders expelled


Misri further confirmed that Pakistani nationals will no longer be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme — a special provision that had allowed certain categories of individuals such as officials, parliamentarians, and diplomats to travel freely among SAARC countries.

“Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled,” Misri said. “Any Pakistani national currently in India under the SVES visa has 48 hours to leave the country.”

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The SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, originally aimed at promoting regional cooperation and connectivity, now becomes the latest casualty of the worsening India-Pakistan relationship.

SAARC, or the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, is a regional organisation aimed at promoting economic and regional integration among South Asian countries. SAARC focuses on cooperation in areas like trade, development, and cultural exchange. The eight member countries of SAARC are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

These measures follow a string of diplomatic downgrades announced after an emergency Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting, including the expulsion of Pakistani military advisors and the withdrawal of Indian defence staff from Islamabad.