A Pakistani woman, living in India since 2008, has been asked to leave the country as her visa was found to have expired last year, said the police.
The woman, living in Bhubaneswar, has been asked to leave by tomorrow. The action comes in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. The Union Home Ministry has asked states to identify and deport all Pakistan nationals in their jurisdiction.
On Wednesday, India said it had cancelled all visas for Pak nationals as part of a five-step diplomatic counter-offensive following the terror attack.
According to reports, the woman had applied to the Commissionerate Police for an exit permit to leave India and go to Pakistan. But her application was rejected. Since then she has reportedly been living in the state.
“There was a Government of India order in which visas to Pakistani nationals were revoked. On that basis, the state government had communicated that order to all district-level officials and ordered necessary action. After we received that order and that communication, we verified records. Upon verification of records, we found that a Pakistani National in urban police district under the Bhubaneswar Police’s jurisdiction was living here. We have served her a Leave India notice yesterday. After speaking to her we found out that she had applied for an exit permit and based on that application an exit permit has been issued to the Pakistani national. In the Leave India notice it has been said that, as per the order, she should leave India by 27-04-2025,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena told reporters.
“We found that she had a visa last year and she entered based on that,” the police officer added.
Relations between the two countries have plunged to their lowest level in years, with India accusing Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in decades.
Islamabad denies involvement, and calls attempts to link Pakistan to the attack at Pahalgam “frivolous”.
A day after the attack, New Delhi suspended a water-sharing treaty, announced the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgraded diplomatic ties and withdrew visas for Pakistanis.
Islamabad in response ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelled visas for Indian nationals — with the exception of Sikh pilgrims — and closed the main border crossing from its side.
Pakistan also warned that any attempt by India to stop water supplies from the Indus River would be an “act of war”.
