1,800 Pakistani Nationals in U.P. Ordered to Return Home
Officials Report Some Pakistani Nationals Are Voluntarily Leaving, But Failures to Depart Before Deadline Will Result in Legal Consequences
Almost 1,800 Pakistani Nationals in U.P. Directed to Go Back Home After Revocation of Visa
In a decisive action, the Indian Union government has instructed nearly 1,800 Pakistani nationals who are now staying in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) under different visa categories to return to their homes. This directive was issued following the revocation of visas of all Pakistani citizens on account of the recent attack on Pahalgam, reports senior police officers.
The U.P. police have reported that the total number of Pakistani nationals does not account for persons who have availed themselves under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Although others are already deciding to go back voluntarily, others have been advised that those that do not leave by the deadlines may be forced by law to do so.
Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Prashant Kumar confirmed that the state police and related agencies are gearing up to take action as per the instructions of the central government. “Till now, we have not received any formal order in this regard,” Kumar said, adding that all district police chiefs have been issued necessary guidelines.
A top police officer stated that information on Pakistani nationals in U.P. is being prepared. Reports have put Pakistanis in certain districts in focus, where 35 of them are present in Bareilly, 30 in Rampur, 18 in Bulandshahr, and 10 in Varanasi. A majority of these people are reported to have already settled into relationships with local Muslim families, while some could be overstaying visas or going into hiding when their permits run out.
The U.P. police are not only keeping watch and taking measures against those refusing to depart post-expiry of their visa. But complications arising in the legal environment at times enable individuals to escape enforcement proceedings. Additionally, the authorities say that some of the Pakistanis use the route of Nepal for entering India in an illegal way, bypassing visa procedures completely.
Government authorities have raised fears that the number of Pakistani infiltrators in India is not as high as the number of Bangladeshi nationals. Various infiltrators are said to have procured Indian documents for citizenship, making it difficult to identify and enforce their departure.
While events are unfolding, local police and security forces persist in gathering data and making plans for the central government’s instruction to be safely and orderly followed in returning Pakistani nationals to their country.
