Updates: PM Modi's High-Level Security Meet To Begins

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) reviews and decides on important political and economic matters of the country and meets on crucial occasions.

The CCPA mainly considers the relations between the Centre and the states, especially when there is a need to form consensus.

Discussions and decisions are made on economic policies and internal security issues that have political implications.

It also helps with coordination between various ministries on issues that have far-reaching political consequences.

Besides, the CCPA also discusses and decides on foreign policy issues that are likely to have an impact on the country's politics.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a crucial meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs or CCPA -- the most important committee of the cabinet that has also been dubbed the "Super Cabinet". The meet comes after a round of meetings of the Cabinet Committee of Security - the next one is due today - following last week's terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam.

After the first round of the CCS meeting, the government had announced a series of non-military measures against Pakistan, including a freeze on the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting of the Attari border and cancellation of visas.

The CCPA had met last after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama in 2019 to review the security situation and formulate counter-strategies. The meet had signed off on the withdrawal of the Most Favoured Nation status given to Pakistan. Later, on February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force carried out the airstrike on terror camps in Balakot.

Security agencies have identified three terrorists involved in plotting the Pahalgam terror attack in which 25 tourists and a Kashmiri pony ride operator were shot dead in cold blood. Two of them -- Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafeez Saeed and his deputy Saifullah Kasuri -- are in Pakistan, and the third, Hashim Moosa, is believed to be hiding in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources in the security establishment have said Hashim Moosa is hiding somewhere in the forests of south Kashmir and an all-out operation has been launched to track him down. The terrorist, security agencies fear, will try to flee to Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir police have announced a bounty of Rs 20 lakh for any information about Hashim Musa and assured that the informer's identity will be kept secret.

More than 30 people have been arrested in Assam so far for controversial social media posts about the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the arrests were made for supporting Pakistan on social media. He also warned that those with greater involvement or a prior history would be booked under the National Security Act (NSA).

"There are no similarities between Bharat and Pakistan. The two countries are enemy nations, and we must remain so," Mr Sarma stated while speaking with the media on Tuesday.

Citing "credible intelligence", Pakistan said India is planning military action against Islamabad in the next 24-36 hours. It further warned New Delhi of "catastrophic" consequences in the complete region and beyond in the event of such action.

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Indian forces were preparing to launch an attack on the basis of "baseless and concocted allegations" regarding the country's involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the armed forces 'complete freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing' of India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack, sources told NDTV Tuesday night. The message was delivered as the Prime Minister met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

Sources said the Prime Minister 're-affirmed that it is our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism' and that he has 'complete faith and confidence' in the Indian military.

Ceasefire violations by Pakistan, along the Line of Control (LoC), continue and spread to other areas. Pakistan violated the ceasefire on the sixth consecutive night.

"During the night of April 29-30, Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small-arms fire across the Line of Control opposite the Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor sectors in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir," said the army.

Indian Army troops responded swiftly and proportionately.