Pune (Maharashtra) [India], April 26 (ANI): Lieutenant General Rajendra Ramrao Nimbhorkar (Retd) on Friday hailed the Cabinet Committee on Security's decisions in response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, stressing the need for the government to take the matter 'seriously'.

'The government is taking this matter very seriously and it should be taken seriously. Because this is an attack on the whole country... The government has taken good decisions in CCS,' he told ANI.

'There were three wars between India and Pakistan and then Kargil; even at that time, we did not suspend the Indus Water Treaty, and it is the greatness of our government and our country that we did not do so; we could have done so even then,' he added.

Following the attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.

Among other measures, the government announced the immediate suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, closure of the Attari ICP, cancellation of SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas for Pakistani nationals, and reduction of diplomatic presence at both Indian and Pakistani High Commissions to 30 officials each by May 1.

Meanwhile, opposition parties took out candlelight protests against the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack at several places across the country.

The Samajwadi Party took out a candlelight protest against the attack in Lucknow.

Congress leaders also held candlelight protests at various places in the country, including Delhi, Bengaluru and Shimla.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Smriti on Friday evening.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said, ' AICC has decided to conduct a candlelight march to pay our respects and tributes to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack... Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi visited the victims today...we stand with the Govt of India...in the all-party meeting also, we expressed solidarity with the Govt of India. We are not here to do politics.'

Terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured, in one of the deadliest attacks in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. (ANI)