Pahalgam attack: High-level security, Cabinet meetings held

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired key meetings of the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) at his residence here on Wednesday.

The meetings commenced at 11 am and concluded around 1 pm.

The CCS meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. It was also attended by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan, Principal Secretaries to the PM, PK Mishra and Shanktikanta Das.

The CCS was expected to review the progress of the retaliatory measures announced against Pakistan on April 23, including revocation of visas to Pakistani nationals and suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

The CCS was also likely to approve calibrated military action a day after PM Modi gave the armed forces full operational freedom to decide on the mode, target and timing of their action on the national military response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The CCS was to be briefed on the current status of the NIA investigation into the attack with the role of former Pakistan Army para commander Hashim Musa clearly established— linking Pakistan to the dastardly attack—and the role of several locals also emerging.