Pakistan expels Indian envoy, suspends trade over India’s Kashmir revocation

Pakistan has decided to downgrade diplomatic ties and suspend bilateral trade with India, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s office following a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting in Islamabad chaired by PM Imran Khan on Wednesday with the country’s top civil-military brass in attendance.
As the diplomatic downgrade gets underway, Pakistan’s ambassador from New Delhi has been recalled, according to Azhar Leghari, the head of public relations for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf. 
“Pakistan suspends trade with India, calls off Pakistan’s Ambassador from India and Prime Minister @Imran KhanPTI has instructed Armed Forces of Pakistan to be ready,” he tweeted.
Pakistan’s foreign minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, told local media that the Indian envoy in Pakistan would also be expelled.
The top security body’s meeting also decided to review all bilateral arrangements between India and Pakistan, take the matter to the UN and to observe upcoming Independence Day on August 14 in solidarity with Kashmiris.
Among other senior officers, the meeting was attended by Pakistan’s foreign minister, defense minister, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff committee, chief of army staff, director-general of the inter-services intelligence (ISI) and head of the inter services public relations (ISPR).
The Indian government on Monday rushed through a presidential decree to abolish Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian constitution which grant special status to Indian occupied Kashmir and protects its Muslim majority demographic, with unprecedented numbers of Indian troops deployed in the region.