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Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Nick-of-time plea in SC by son in Bengaluru gives Kashmiri family reprieve from deportation to Pakistan
A petition filed in the Supreme Court in the nick of time by the Bengaluru-based son of a Kashmiri family, through a senior lawyer who is an advocate on record in the Supreme Court, has provided a reprieve from deportation to Pakistan for the family. The Kashmiri family, who are all Indian passport holders, were issued a notice on April 25 by the Foreigners Registration Office in Srinagar stating that they were Pakistani nationals who had overstayed their visas and should leave the country immediately in the wake of the Indian government's post-Pahalgam terror attack orders. The 70-year-old patriarch of the family, his wife, a son, and a daughter were arrested at around 9 pm on April 29 by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and were taken to the India border at around 12.20 pm the next day for deportation to Pakistan. 'The oldest son in the family, who has been living in Bengaluru for many years, approached us seeking legal intervention after his parents and two siblings had been arrested on April 29. We were able to file a petition in the Supreme Court the next day and get a hearing listed on May 1 due to the advances in usage of electronic systems by the court,' said Dr Nanda Kishore, the Supreme Court advocate and law professor in Bengaluru who represented the family. The senior advocate who argued the matter through video conference on Friday said that the Foreigners Registration Office in Srinagar had erred in calling the family Pakistani nationals when they were holders of Indian passports. 'There seems to be some mistake that has occurred. When all the family members are holding Indian passports, how can they be called Pakistani nationals and deported overnight? This means it can happen to anyone with an Indian passport. There has to be a process of law that has to be followed even if there are doubts about a passport,' Nanda Kishore said. The Bengaluru advocate was approached by the eldest son of the family, Ahmed Tariq Butt, 35, and the youngest son, who are both working in Bengaluru. 'Both the sons in Bengaluru are well educated and employed with multinational firms,' said the advocate for the family. The deportation order meant that the lives of their family were going to be overturned overnight due to a mistake in recognising them as Pakistani nationals instead of Indian citizens, the advocate indicated. When the order to leave India was issued, the family tried approaching the media to raise the issue, but there was no response on account of the prevailing atmosphere in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the advocate said. The family is reported to have moved from Mirpur in PoK to Srinagar in 1997, with the patriarch arriving first, followed by the rest of the family. 'The Petitioner No. 1 and his family members are law-abiding individuals who are Indian nationals, who have been living peacefully and contributing to society in their respective capacities,' the petition filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of the family stated. According to the petition, the family has roots in India going back many generations, with a grandfather holding a voter ID card in the 1950s. The petition says that the patriarch of the family owns a house in Rawalpora, a plot in Barbarshah, and an apple orchard near Pattan in Srinagar. 'The Petitioner No. 1 submits that they have a legitimate expectation to continue residing in India, owing to their longstanding presence, familial ties, ongoing professional activities, and other socio-economic commitments. They were not given an opportunity to explain their situation or contest the allegations before the impugned notices were passed,' the plea said. According to the petition, the two sons working in Bengaluru were also facing the threat of deportation with the Jammu and Kashmir Police asking the youngest son to reach Amritsar and also collecting the address details of Butt. Following the Supreme Court order to the Government of India on Friday to verify all documents held by the family before deciding on deportation, Butt's parents and two siblings were being brought back to Srinagar, the family's advocate in Bengaluru said Friday.
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First Post
02-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
The tale of Accenture employee whose deportation to Pakistan was halted by the Supreme Court
Ahmed Tariq Butt, a Bengaluru-based professional working with Accenture, claimed that he and his family were reportedly issued deportation notices to Pakistan despite being Indian citizens with valid passports and Aadhaar cards. The Supreme Court has ordered verification of their documents and asked that 'no coercive action' be taken against them until then read more As tensions rise between India and Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, the government has ramped up efforts to identify and deport Pakistani nationals from the country as part of a flurry of diplomatic restrictions. Among those caught in the sweeping crackdown was Ahmed Tariq Butt, a Bengaluru-based professional working with Accenture. Along with five family members, Butt was reportedly ordered to go to Pakistan despite being Indian citizens with valid passports and Aadhaar cards. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Things took a sharp turn on Friday when the Supreme Court stepped in, asking for verification of his documents and demanded that 'no coercive action' be taken against Butt, who has an MBA from the Kerela's IIM Kozhikode, till then. But how did Butt and his family get a deportation notice in the first place? And what did the top court say on the matter? Here's a closer look 'How did you come to India?' During the hearing on Friday morning, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N K Singh asked Butt about his background and how he came to India. Ahmed Tariq Butt told the court that he and his family, his parents, elder sister, and two younger brothers, were residents of Mirpur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir until 1997. His father moved to Srinagar that year and surrendered his Pakistan passport to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, after which he applied for and secured an Indian passport. The rest of the family joined him in 2000. Butt said he and his siblings studied at a private school in the city. He also told the court that he holds an Indian passport and an Aadhaar card. His counsel added that only one family member had Pakistani roots, as he was born there. But he had surrendered his Pakistani passport long ago, the advocate said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ahmed Tariq Butt said his father surrendered his Pakistan passport to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court when he came to Srinagar in 1997. Image for Representation. Reuters Despite these documents, Butt claimed that a Home Ministry order served last week directed his entire family to leave the country. The notice, he alleged, falsely stated that they had entered India on visas and overstayed. Seeking urgent intervention, Butt informed the court that his 'father, mother, sister and a younger brother were arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir Police on April 29 at around 9 pm illegally' and 'were taken to the India-Pakistan border on April 30 at around 12.20 pm,' as reported by The Indian Express. He further stated that they 'are at present being forced to leave India from the border' and that 'deportation is imminent even though they are Indian nationals'. This cannot be a precedent for future cases: SC After issuing a stay on Ahmed Tariq Butt's deportation, the Supreme Court made it clear that the order should not be treated as a precedent in similar matters. The bench emphasised that the decision was made based on the 'peculiar facts and circumstances' of the case. This clarification holds significance at a time when several individuals, many with Muslim names, have reportedly been asked to leave the country following visa cancellations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In Butt's case, the court also directed him to approach the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh if he was not satisfied with the final outcome. Attari-Wagah border shut In the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives in Kashmir, India issued a series of countermeasures, including ordering a shutdown of its border with Pakistan and issuing 'Leave India' notices to all Pakistani nationals residing in the country. As part of the sweeping crackdown, all visas for Pakistani citizens, except for long-term stay permits and those granted to Pakistani Hindus, were cancelled, and they were directed to leave India by April 30. Following this directive, 125 Pakistani nationals exited India through the Attari-Wagah border on Wednesday, bringing the seven-day total of departures to 911. In addition, 15 Indian citizens holding Pakistani visas also crossed over, taking the overall count of such departures to 23. As part of the sweeping crackdown following the Pahalgam terror attack, all visas for Pakistani citizens, except for long-term stay permits and those granted to Pakistani Hindus, were cancelled, and they were directed to leave India by April 30. File image On the entry side, 152 Indian nationals and 73 Pakistanis with valid long-term Indian visas arrived in the country through the Amritsar border. These arrivals pushed the totals to 1,617 Indian returnees and 224 Pakistani entrants since the announcement. However, the deportation process hit a roadblock when Pakistan allegedly closed the Wagah border post, causing distress among deported Pakistani citizens who were left stranded in the scorching heat while trying to return home. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It appeared that Pakistani authorities did not open the gate to receive their citizens. But Pakistan's Foreign Office dismissed this, stating that its borders are open to receiving its citizens. In addition to cancelling visas, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed its airspace to Pakistani flights, and banned the social media accounts of Pakistani nationals. With input from agencies
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Business Standard
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
SC orders relief for Pak-born man with Indian passport ordered to go back
Amid the ongoing deportation of Pakistani nationals living in India, following the Pahalgam terror attack, relief comes for a family of six, whose deportation to Pakistan has been stayed by the Supreme Court on Friday. Ahmed Tariq Butt, an Accenture employee filed a plea on behalf of his family members who reside in Kashmir. Butt, in his plea, claimed that his family has been asked to leave India, alleging that his family overstayed their visa, news agency PTI reported. Butt, however, submitted that he holds an Indian passport and an Aadhaar card. The apex court directed the authorities not to take any 'coercive action' till an order on the verification of their identity documents. A two-bench judge of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh noted that there is 'human angle' to the issue. The court also asked Butt's family to approach the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in case they are aggrieved by the document verification order. This comes as tensions escalate between the two countries, and all Pakistani nationals' visas were cancelled. What did the court say? Butt, an MBA graduate from IIM Kozhikode was asked how he and his family came to India during a hearing earlier today. Born in Pakistan's Mirpur, he came to India with his father in 1997. Upon reaching Srinagar, he surrendered his Pakistani passport to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Remaining members of Butt's family entered India in the year 2000, each of whom surrendered their Pakistani passports as well and applied for Indian citizenship. Pahalgam terror attack On April 22, 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were killed by terrorists at Pahalgam's Baisaran Valley. Following the attack, both the Indian and Pakistani governments announced measures as diplomatic ties were downgraded. Apart from suspending crucial agreements like the Indus Waters Treaty and the Simla agreement, the Centre also ordered Pakistani nationals living in India to leave as their visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) were cancelled.
India Today
02-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Supreme Court pauses deportation of PoK-born man, family with Indian documents
The Supreme Court has granted interim relief to a family facing deportation despite holding Indian passports, Aadhaar cards, and voter IDs. The court stayed the move to send six alleged Pakistani nationals back to Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and directed the petitioners to present their case before the appropriate Ahmed Tariq Butt, a Bengaluru-based man born in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), argued that his family was being forcibly taken to the Attari Wagah border despite being Indian citizens. He told the court they were detained at the border, even though they possessed valid Indian documents, including passports issued by the Ministry of External are a total of six members in the same family. Two brothers work in Bangalore. Our parents, sister, and another brother are in Srinagar,' the petitioner said. Tariq Butt's father hails from Mirpur in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while his mother was born in to the petition, Tariq Butt lived in Mirpur, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, until 1997 before crossing the border and moving to Srinagar. He lived in the Kashmir Valley for several years and currently resides in Bengaluru. Tariq later earned a management degree from IIM Kozhikode and currently works in an IT firm in said in his application that he and his family possess Indian passports and Aadhaar cards. His family includes his sister Ayesha Tariq and brothers Abubakar Tariq and Umar Tariq Butt. According to the petition, the family lived in Mirpur, but his place of birth is listed as Srinagar in the to the petition, the Foreigners' Regional Officer (FRO) wrongly claimed that the family had entered India in 1997 on Pakistani visas and were required to leave after their visas expired. The petitioner denied this, saying they were never Pakistani nationals and had never entered India on a petition follows the Centre's recent directive, issued after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, asking all Pakistani nationals on short-term visas to leave India or face action.
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Amid Pahalgam Tension, Supreme Court Relief For Accenture Staffer Told To Go To Pak
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed the deportation of an Accenture employee from Bengaluru and his family as ordered by the government, which is cancelling visas and ejecting Pakistan nationals as part of a flurry of diplomatic restrictions after the Pahalgam terror attack. The man - Ahmed Tariq Butt - had approached the court claiming his six-member family and he had been ordered to leave the country despite holding Indian passports and an Aadhaar card. The court directed verification of the documents and directed that no coercive action be taken against Mr Butt, who has an MBA from the IIM in Kerala's Kozhikode, till then. Mr Butt was also asked to approach the high court for further relief; this order was contested by the government, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, but the Supreme Court acknowledged "some human element" in this matter. Finally, the Supreme Court also clarified that its orders in this case could not be used as precedent in others, a significant statement given the number of reports about Indian nationals - many with Muslim names - being asked to leave the country after visas were cancelled. 'How Did You Come To India'? During the hearing Friday morning Justice Surya Kant wanted to know how Mr Butt came to India. "He was born in Mirpur in Pakistan... we want to know how and why you came to India?" Mr Butt said he came to India in 1997 with his father, who held a Pakistan passport. On arriving in Srinagar, Mr Butt said, he surrendered his Pak passport to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, after which he applied for and secured an Indian passport. Other members of his family, Mr Butt said, arrived in Srinagar three years later, i.e., 2000, and each, he told the court, also secured Indian citizenship and passport. Mr Butt said his siblings and he were educated in a private school in the city. However, he said, despite this documentation, and the fact that his family members and he all hold Aadhaar cards, a Home Ministry order last week issued notice to all to leave the country. The notice, he claimed, falsely said they had entered India on visas and had overstayed. 'Identify, Deport': Centre's Pak Order The government has scrapped all visas for Pak nationals, excluding long-term stays and those given to Pak Hindus, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, in which four terrorists from the banned Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group slaughtered 26 civilians, mostly tourists and including a Nepali. The government has vowed vengeance for the worst terror attack in India since Pulwama 2019, in which 40 soldiers were killed by another banned Pak-based terrorist group, the Jaish-e-Mohammed. The government has accused Pak of continuing to fund and support terrorism READ | Pak 'One Of World's Most Dangerous, Terror Trail In Moscow, London' In the first round of countermeasures after the attack, the government banned visas, shut the border with Pakistan, and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. Pak responded by ejecting Indians, shutting its border and airspace, and suspending the Simla Agreement. Since then Prime Minister Narendra Modi - who was vowed not to let terrorism's evil agenda succeed - has given India's military operational freedom to plan and execute a response.
