Latest news with #LongTerm
NDTV
04-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"I Must Get Justice": CRPF Man Sacked Over Pak Wife Has An Appeal For PM
New Delhi: A day after the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sacked him for "concealing" his marriage with a Pakistani woman and sheltering her in India beyond her visa's validity, Munir Ahmed has stressed that he was wronged and sought justice from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to news agency ANI, Mr Ahmed said the dismissal letter said he did not inform the authorities about his wife's overstay in India after her visa expired. "I informed, I have proof. I followed proper channels and attached documents," he said. #WATCH | J&K: Munir Ahmad, a resident of Jammu, who is married to a Pakistani national, Meenal Khan, was dismissed from CRPF He says, " ...The reason they have told me is that I kept my wife here and did not inform the department. But, I did inform my department, I have proof, I… — ANI (@ANI) May 4, 2025 Munir Ahmed and Menal Khan, a Pakistani national, married on a video call on May 24 last year. Munir says he informed CRPF authorities about the wedding in October. This February, Menal Khan came to India through the Wagah-Attari border and started living with Munir Ahmed. Her 15-day visa expired in March and Munir then applied for a long-term visa. A month later, New Delhi cracked down on Pakistani nationals in India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 innocents dead. Menal Khan was about to be deported, but got last-minute relief from Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Munir said he was on leave after his wife arrived in February. "I rejoined duty on March 23. I informed them of everything. I gave them a copy of her visa and told them about the Long Term Visa application. Then suddenly, I was transferred (to Bhopal). I was supposed to complete my posting in Jammu and Kashmir in 2027. Whenever you are transferred to another battalion, you get 15 days of joining time. I didn't get that. I was not given a train ticket either. I joined 41 Battalion and an interview was held. I told them everything about my marriage. I also wrote to the Director General about my transfer. That application is under process," he said. Munir said he was shocked by his dismissal from service. "I want to appeal to Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and Home Minister (Amit Shah) that as a jawan, I must get justice. I married in 2024 and I have been informing the department since 2022. Tell me, where is the illegality?" he asked. CRPF officials have said Munir Ahmed has been dismissed because his actions are detrimental to national security. According to reports, he was dismissed under rules that do not require conducting an inquiry. "Munir Ahmed has been dismissed from service with immediate effect for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and knowingly harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa. His actions were found to be in violation of service conduct and detrimental to national security," CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General M Dhinakaran said.
NDTV
03-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
'Permission Was Granted': Sacked CRPF Trooper On Marriage To Pakistani Woman
Jammu: Hours after being dismissed from service for "concealing" his marriage with a Pakistani woman, CRPF trooper Munir Ahmed on Saturday said he solemnized his marriage nearly a month after getting permission from the force's headquarters last year. Munir Ahmed, a resident of Gharota area of Jammu who had joined CRPF in April 2017, said he will challenge his dismissal in the court of law. "I am sure of getting justice". The Central Reserve Police Force has dismissed Ahmed for "concealing" his marriage with Pakistani woman Minal Khan and knowingly harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa, saying his actions were detrimental to national security. "I initially came to know about my dismissal through media reports. I shortly received a letter from the CRPF informing me about the dismissal which came as a shock to me and my family as I have sought and received permission for my marriage to a Pakistani woman from the headquarters," Ahmad told PTI over phone from his house. Ahmed's marriage with Khan came to light after India asked Pakistani nationals to leave the country as part of diplomatic measures taken in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people were killed. Khan entered India through the Wagah-Attari border on February 28 and her short-term visa ended on March 22. However, her deportation was stayed by the high court and she is presently staying in Ahmed's Jammu residence. "I made the first correspondence on December 31, 2022 informing my wish to marry the Pakistani national and I was asked to complete formalities like enclosing copies of passport, marriage card and affidavits. "I submitted my affidavit and also the affidavits of my parents, sarpanch, and district development council member through proper channels and finally got a go ahead from the headquarters on April 30, 2024," he said. The CRPF trooper said he applied for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) but he was told that such a provision is not available and he has already completed the formalities by informing the government about his marriage to a foreign national in accordance with the rules. "We got married online on May 24 last year through a video call. Subsequently, I submitted marriage pictures, 'Nikkah' papers and marriage certificate to my 72 Battalion where I was posted. "When she came for the first time on February 28 on a 15-day visa, we applied for Long Term Visa in March itself and completed the necessary formalities including interview," he said, highlighting that this paved the way for the High Court of J&K and Ladakh to provide relief to them by staying his wife's deportation at the last moment on Wednesday. Ahmed said he returned to his duties at the end of his leave period and was asked to report to the battalion headquarters at Sunderbani on March 25 but on March 27, "I was handed over a transfer order and posted with 41st Battalion at Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) without providing 15 days mandatory joining period. "I was given the order copy and relieved immediately, leaving me with no option but to join my duties at Bhopal where I joined on March 29. I faced the interview of the commanding officer and his deputy on reaching there and also completed the documentation process, clearly mentioning my marriage to a Pakistani woman," he said, adding he has even made the entry in his battalion data record book. The CRPF trooper said he will be moving the court in the next few days to challenge his dismissal. "I am hopeful of getting justice from the court of law," he said.
Scoop
02-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
$25k Boost For Kaikōura Museum
Sixteen Kaikōura community and sports organisations are set to receive a funding boost. The Kaikōura District Council voted to distribute up to $100,000 to local organisations from its discretionary grants fund at a council meeting on Wednesday, April 30. Councillor Vicki Gulleford said the recipients were a mix of heritage, arts and culture, sports, environmental and community organisations. ''Our criteria is about supporting the community to connect and participate together and these organisations all achieve that in different ways.'' The discretionary grants fund was established in 2022 to provide a more transparent process for distributing grants to the community. ''We would get groups coming along during the annual plan process and asking for support, but it wasn't an open process, so we looked out how we could manage it better,'' Cr Gulleford said. The Kaikōura Historical Society Incorporated is the largest recipient and is set to receive $25,000 to assist with the operational costs of the Kaikōura Museum. She said the council had an obligation under the Local Government Act to support the preservation of local heritage. ''We have that obligation historically, so the museum was given funding prior to the discretionary grants process being created. ''Last year we had some discussion with the museum about whether we should have a targeted rate to fund it, but that will need to be looked at as part of the next Long Term Plan process. ''The museum is always diversifying and bringing in exhibitions and speakers, so it is important to support such key community facilities.'' The other major recipients are Te Hā o Mātauranga (Learning in Kaikōura), the Kaikōura Community Theatre Incorporated and Sport Tasman. Like the museum, Sport Tasman has received council funding for a number of years to help with running community events and supporting local schools. Discussions have also been held with the Kaikōura Community Theatre Inc, which runs the Mayfair Art and Culture Centre, about it how could be funded in future, Cr Gulleford said. Mayor Craig Mackle said Te Hā o Mātauranga played an important role in improving educational outcomes and held the Mayors' Taskforce for Jobs contract on behalf of the council. The discretionary grants fund will be included in the council's 2025/26 annual plan, which will be adopted on June 26. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pahalgam attack: Madhya Pradesh officials in fix over 9 children born to Indian mothers, Pakistani fathers
Representative Image NEW DELHI: Madhya Pradesh authorities are grappling with cases involving nine children born to Pakistani fathers and Indian mothers, following the Centre's strict 'leave the country' order issued after the April 22 Pahalgam attack. The state officials are also seeking guidance regarding a Pakistani national who applied for a Long Term Visa in Bhopal on April 25, just before the Union government's directive. "We have sought advice from the Centre on nine children born to Indian mothers and Pakistani fathers. Four children are with their mothers in Indore, three in Jabalpur and two in Bhopal. We have also sought advice on the man who applied for LTV on April 25," said a senior official. The official confirmed that 14 persons in Madhya Pradesh, including these nine children, were required to leave India as per the government's order. Three have already departed for Pakistan, while one person remains in Delhi due to matters being handled by the foreigners regional registration Office. There are currently 228 Pakistani nationals residing in Madhya Pradesh on various types of visas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The Centre has announced that Pakistani nationals who fail to comply with the set deadlines will face arrest and prosecution, potentially leading to a three-year jail term, a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh, or both. The government issued the 'Leave India' notice following the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, by Pakistan-linked terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. On April 25, the Centre revoked 14 visa categories for Pakistani nationals, including business, conference, visitor, and pilgrim visas. The order excludes Long Term Visas and diplomatic and official visas. The Home Ministry has specified different departure deadlines: April 26 for SAARC visa holders, April 27 for those with visas on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim visas, and group pilgrim visas for Pakistani minorities. Those with medical visas must leave by April 29. The ministry has suspended the issuance of new visas to Pakistani nationals. Union home minister Amit Shah contacted all state chief ministers on April 25, instructing them to ensure Pakistani nationals leave India by the specified deadlines. Following Shah's calls, union home secretary Govind Mohan conducted a video conference with chief secretaries, emphasizing the enforcement of departure deadlines for Pakistani nationals whose visas were revoked.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Long Term Visas already issued to Hindu Pakistanis remain valid: MEA
The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday clarified that Long Term Visas (LTVs) already issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals will remain valid. This comes a day after the Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced during a press briefing that Pakistani visas will be cancelled with immediate effect as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The statement said that Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India. On Wednesday, the MEA had announced that the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025, a press statement said, adding that medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till 29 April 2025. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Adding to the cancellation of visas, India announced that the Indus Waters Treaty between the two countries will also be suspended with immediate effect. Further, the Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi were declared Persona Non Grata and the overall strength of the High Commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by May 1, 2025.
