Pakistan on Wednesday expelled Indian High Commissioner Ajay Bisaria, minutes after it decided to downgrade the diplomatic ties with India,alleging that New Delhi’s move to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was “unilateral and illegal”.This was announced after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a crucial meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) here, attended by top civil and military leadership, during which it was also decided to suspend the bilateral trade and review the“bilateral arrangements”.“Our ambassadors will no longer be in New Delhi and their counterparts here will also be sent back,” Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said in televised comments soon after the NSC meeting.Pakistan has upped its ante over the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.Islamabad has said that it will "downgrade" diplomatic relations and suspend bilateral trade with India after New Delhi stripped Kashmir of special status.

India on Monday revoked Article 370 of the Constitution towithdraw the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the stateinto two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.While India’s HighCommissioner Bisaria is in Islamabad, his Pakistani counterpart Moin-ul-Haq isyet to take charge in New Delhi.A statement issued after the NSC meeting readthat the Committee discussed situation “arising out of unilateral and illegalactions” by the Indian government, situation inside Jammu and Kashmir and alongthe Line of Control.

The Committee decided “downgrading of diplomatic relationswith India” and “suspension of bilateral trade with India,” the statement said.TheNSC also decided to review “bilateral arrangements” with India.

The Committee resolved to take the matter (abolition of the Article 370 by India) to the United Nations, including the Security Council,the statement said.India has said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part ofIndia and the issue is strictly internal to the country.The Pakistani statementsaid that the country will observe this Independence Day on August 14 insolidarity with Kashmiris.“August 15 will be observed as Black Day,” it added.PrimeMinister Khan also directed that all diplomatic channels be activated tohighlight the alleged human rights violations in the Valley.He also directedthe military to continue vigilance, according to the statement.

The Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, Interior Minister,Advisor on finance, Kashmir Affairs Minister as well as Joint Chiefs of StaffCommittee Chairman, three services chiefs, ISI chief, and other top officialsattended the meeting.The NSC met after the meeting of top military generals andand a rare joint session of parliament on the Kashmir issue on Tuesday. It wasthe second meeting of Pakistan’s top decision making body this week.On Sunday,Prime Minister Khan convened the NSC meeting to discuss issues pertaining tonational security in the wake of developments in the region.Pakistan hascondemned and rejected the Indian government’s decision and vowed to exercise“all possible options” to counter India’s “illegal” and “unilateral” step.TheNSC is the highest forum of civil and military top leadership to come togetherand discuss important matters of national security.India has not been engagingwith Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016by Pakistan-based terrorists, maintaining that talks and terror cannot gotogether.Early this year, tensions flared up between India and Pakistan after asuicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPFpersonnel in Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out acounter-terror operation, hitting the biggest JeM training camp in Balakot,deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed aMiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured Indian pilot, who was handed over toIndia on March 1.