Pahalgam attack: 537 Pakistani nationals exit India from Apr 24-27; 850 Indians also return

New Delhi: Around 537 Pakistani nationals, including nine diplomats and officials exited India via the Attari-Wagah border from April 24 to April 27.

During the same period, around 850 Indian citizens returned from Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 27 tourists.

On Sunday alone, 237 Pakistani nationals crossed back to their country, while 115 Indians returned from across the border.

In response to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian government suspended 12 categories of visas — including visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim, and group pilgrim visas. Holders of these visas were required to leave India by April 27.

In Telangana, 208 Pakistani nationals were reported to be residing — 156 on long-term visas, 13 on short-term visas, and 39 holding medical and business visas.

Long-term Visas Unaffected:

All valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals by India were revoked effective April 27. However, medical visas were allowed to remain valid until April 29. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has advised Pakistani nationals in India to depart before their amended visas expire. Failure to do so will classify them as overstaying foreign nationals.

Additionally, Pakistani citizens are now barred from entering India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme. However, this revocation does not impact Long Term Visas (LTVs) issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals, which remain valid.

Families Torn Apart:

From April 24 to 28, several families faced heartbreaking separations. Children holding Pakistani passports were compelled to leave India, while their Indian passport-holding mothers had to stay behind. In several cases, women married to Pakistani men were forced to return home, leaving their spouses and children behind.

For instance, a woman from Meerut, Sana, who married Bilal, a doctor from Karachi, in 2020, recently visited her parents in India. When the government ordered Pakistani nationals to leave, she attempted to cross the border with her children, aged three and one. However, authorities stopped her due to her Indian citizenship, forcing her to return home alone, leaving her children with their father.

In another case, a man from Rajasthan, who got engaged to Kesar Kanwar from Pakistan four years ago, faced disruption to his wedding plans. After a long wait for visa approvals, the family was finally ready for the wedding scheduled for April 30. However, when they reached the Wagah-Attari border, officials denied them permission to cross, leaving their plans in disarray.