‘Sold everything, how can we return': Families in despair amid strained India-Pak ties
'India is good; there's nothing left for us in Pakistan. Prices are high, and there's no work,' says a young child from a Pakistani family, standing outside the CID-Crime Branch (CID-CB) office in Barmer. Their family, like many others, sold everything they had in Pakistan before coming to India, hoping for a better future. Now, with the Indian government's directive ordering Pakistani nationals without valid Long Term Visas (LTVs) to leave the country by April 27, these families are left with uncertainties and possibility of being sent back to a place where they say they have no homes, no livelihood, and no future.
The directive, which follows the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, has thrown these families into a state of deep anxiety. While they arrived in India seeking safety and opportunities, they now face an uncertain future. Many of them had sold off their properties, businesses, and even homes in Pakistan before crossing into India.
For the past few days, the CID-CB office in Barmer has seen a surge of Pakistani families, many of whom are pleading for assistance to legalise their stay. Families were seen rushing to complete paperwork and gather the necessary documents in a last-ditch effort to stay in the country they now consider home.
18-member family pleads for stay
Among those seeking help was an 18-member Hindu family which recently arrived from Sindh province on April 19. Six women, five children, and seven men visited the CID-CB office, desperately pleading with officials to allow them to stay in India.
Suresh, a member of the family, shared their plight, saying, 'We arrived on April 19 on a 45-day visa to visit relatives. Before coming, we sold everything we had in Pakistan. Our extended family is already settled here. There's no one left for us back there. We have applied for Long Term Visas so we can stay here permanently.'
'What happened in Pahalgam is tragic, but we have nothing to do with it. We only want peace and a future for our children. We request the government to allow us to stay in India', said.
'We sold everything, how can we return now?'
Also Read:India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels spreading misinformation after Pahalgam attack
Similar stories are unfolding across Barmer, as several other families have made similar appeals. Four Hindu families—comprising 33 members—arrived in Barmer alone in April, crossing through the Attari border. They too had sold their homes, lands, and businesses in Pakistan before migrating, hoping for a new beginning in India.
Among them is Satradas from Umerkot, who arrived with his seven family members on April 17. They have already applied for LTVs, hoping to settle permanently. Hamirmal from Sindh province, who came about 20 days ago with his wife and four children, is also awaiting a decision.
Jalamsingh from Umerkot arrived a month ago on a medical visa with his wife. Their son, an Indian citizen, is already settled here. They too have applied for a Long Term Visa and are seeking permanent settlement.
A father forced to return without attending his daughter's wedding
One particular family affected by the directive is that of Swaroop Singh. While his daughter is an Indian citizen, Swaroop Singh lives in Pakistan with his wife and two sons. His daughter's wedding is scheduled for April 29, but due to the strained relations between India and Pakistan, he is being forced to return to Pakistan today. Swaroop Singh had been looking forward to attending his daughter's wedding, but now, he is returning with a heavy heart.
These families have formally applied for Long Term Visas and have informed intelligence agencies about their intentions to stay in India. They now hold on to the hope that the Indian government will show humanitarian consideration and allow them to remain in the country.
However, with the April 27 deadline having passed, authorities are set to initiate deportation proceedings against Pakistani nationals who have failed to leave India within the stipulated time or who do not have valid visa extensions.
Responding to the issue, an official from the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) said, 'Following the government directives, we have asked the Pakistani nationals to leave India before the set deadline. Now, as the deadline has passed, we will act according to the government's directions.'
'Pakistani nationals residing in India on visas other than Long Term Visas (LTVs) must return to Pakistan via the Attari Border by April 27, and those staying on medical visas must leave by April 29. Any Pakistani national who fails to leave India within the stipulated time, as directed by the Government of India, will be compulsorily deported'. Barmer SP Narendra Singh Meena said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
11 minutes ago
- Time of India
Since 1960, poll rolls being shared with parties: CEC Gyanesh Kumar
NEW DELHI: In a first but indirect rejoinder to Rahul Gandhi's allegations of enrolment of fake voters for Maharashtra polls, chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar underscored the statutory sharing of electoral rolls with all recognised political parties year after year since 1960, with a provision for them to make claims, objections and appeals. Delivering the inaugural address at the International Conference on Electoral Integrity (IDEA) in Stockholm on Tuesday, Kumar described the annual roll revision exercise in India as "the world's most rigorous and transparent", adding that it reinforced the accuracy and integrity of the electoral process. He noted that "this robust mechanism plays a vital role in upholding electoral credibility across the country, year after year". Rahul recently reiterated his charge that BJP owed its landslide win in Maharashtra last year to an unusual surge in number of voters after Lok Sabha polls. Officials in Election Commission, speaking anonymously, had dismissed the charge, saying addition of votes in Maharashtra was less than the increase in number of voters for Telangana and Jharkhand polls which were won by Congress and its allies. Congress kept up its protest, while also emphasising that EC officials had not spoken "on record". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오스템 임플란트 받아가세요 임플란터 더 알아보기 Undo Apprising the participants - representing election management bodies (EMBs) of around 50 countries - about the massive scale of Indian elections conducted under the watch of political parties, candidates, observers and the media, the CEC said the poll panel, with over 20 million personnel, including polling staff, police forces and observers, "becomes the world's largest organisation, surpassing the combined workforce of several national govts and major global corporations and ensures that India's nearly one billion electors are freely able to exercise their franchise". Kumar traced the evolution of Indian elections over the decades, noting how the system has adapted to increasing complexity while staying rooted in constitutional values. "From 173 million electors in 1951-52 to 979 million in 2024, and from just 0.2 million polling stations in the early years to over 1.05 million today, India's electoral journey has demonstrated both institutional foresight and unmatched scale," he said. Kumar added that 743 political parties and 20,271 candidates contested elections across the country using 6.2 million EVMs. Reflecting on the inclusive design of Indian elections, Kumar said the electoral process serves first-time voters, senior citizens aged 85+, persons with special abilities, third-gender electors, and voters in the most inaccessible regions with equal care and commitment. From polling booths with a single elector to highest altitude stations like Tashigang in Himachal Pradesh, India's commitment to leaving no voter behind is reiterated as a constitutional principle rather than a logistical challenge, he said.
Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
Asked Modi to stop Hasina from speaking, he said not possible due to social media: Yunus
LONDON: Chief adviser to the interim Bangladesh govt, Mohammad Yunus , told delegates at Chatham House Wednesday he had asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina from 'speaking' after she fled to India but Modi replied that it was not possible because of social media. 'I said to PM Modi: 'You want to host her? I can't force you to abandon that policy, but please help us in making sure she doesn't speak to Bangladeshi people the way she is doing as the whole of Bangladesh gets very angry.' India is not doing what I asked. Modi's answer was: 'It is social media, we can't control it.' What can you say? It's an explosive situation. You can't just walk away by saying it's social media,' Yunus said. 'We want to build the best relationship with India – but somehow things go wrong all the time because of all fake news coming from the Indian press,' he said. 'Some people say it has connections with policy makers at the top. This is what makes Bangladesh very jittery. A whole barrage of things keep happening in cyber space.' Yunus said Awami League didn't need to be part of the 2026 elections as 'it isn't a political party'. He pledged to hold 'the most beautiful election ever'. 'If they can kill young people on the street, make people disappear, steal money, would you call them a political party? None of them has ever expressed remorse. For the safety of politics of this country, the nation has decided that, for time being, the activities of Awami League will be suspended until the trial is over,' he said, referring to the trial of perpetrators of violence under the Hasina regime. 'We have not banned Awami League. ' Protests marked Yunus' visit to Chatham House. 'How can he ban the Awami League? He is not even elected. He has no authority,' said one of the Bangladeshi diaspora protesters outside, chanting, 'Yunus terrorist'. One held a placard calling for the release of former Iskcon monk Chinmoy Prabhu.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Crippled by Op Sindoor strikes, Pak eyeing Germany for air defence upgrades
Rattled by the devastating impact of BrahMos missile strikes during India's Operation Sindoor, Pakistan is now exploring the procurement of a new air defence system to counter future to sources, Islamabad is actively considering the purchase of the IRIS-T SLM air defence system from Germany in a bid to strengthen its aerial shield against India's supersonic cruise missiles, particularly the move comes after Pakistan's existing Chinese-origin air defence systems, including the HQ-9 and HQ-16, failed to detect or intercept Indian missile attacks during the operation. In contrast, the IRIS-T SLM system has demonstrated significant effectiveness in recent combat situations. In Ukraine, where several units were redirected from Egypt due to the ongoing war, the German-made system has reportedly shot down over 60 aerial targets since its deployment last it was said to have successfully intercepted Russian Oniks missiles, which are similar in profile to India's by Diehl Defence, the IRIS-T SLM is known for its modular and compact architecture. Each unit, estimated to cost around USD 200 million, includes radar, an operations centre, and launchers, all mounted on a 20-foot interest in the system highlights its urgent push to rebuild and upgrade its air defence network, particularly after key air bases were damaged by Indian missiles during Operation grappling with a severe economic crisis, Pakistan has raised its defence budget by 18 per cent this year while simultaneously scrapping domestic development projects valued at 1,000 billion Pakistani the past month, the country has secured financial assistance totalling USD 1.8 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to address its fiscal Germany's Diehl Defence, the maker of the IRIS-T SLM, is also involved in a major Indian defence initiative. The company is collaborating with Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems on Project 75I, a Rs 70,000 crore programme to build six submarines for the Indian Indian-German collaboration also includes the development of the Interactive Defence and Attack System (IDAS), which will be integrated into the India's Reliance Defence has announced a partnership to manufacture Vulcano 155mm precision-guided artillery shells domestically. The initiative is expected to generate revenues of approximately Rs 10,000 crore, with over 50 per cent of the components to be produced indigenously.
