Latest news with #RakshandaRashid
Mint
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Deported after Pahalgam attack, Pakistani woman to get visitor's visa: MHA tells J&K HC
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has informed the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh High Court that it has decided to grant a visitor's visa to Rakshanda Rashid, a Pakistani woman who was deported from Jammu after the Pahalgam terror attack, prompting the court to dismiss her petition seeking nod to return to her family here. The court, however, stated that the MHA order should not constitute a precedent in any manner. Rashid (62), a Pakistani citizen who married Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed 35 years ago in Jammu, was deported as part of the decision taken by the Indian government to deport Pakistani nationals staying in India in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the home ministry, informed the court that after considerable deliberation and in light of the peculiar circumstances of this case, an in-principle decision had been made to grant a visitor visa to Rashid. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal acknowledged this in its order. The bench further noted that Rashid can pursue the two applications moved by her regarding acquiring Indian citizenship as well as a long-term visa. The court recorded the submission of the solicitor general and noted that "once an in-principle decision is taken by the competent authority, there is hardly any doubt that, post compliance of the requisite procedures and formalities, the authority would process and accord a visitor's visa to the respondent at the earliest". The court dismissed Rashid's writ petition seeking relief from the deportation, saying that as a natural consequence, the impugned interim order loses its relevance and thus ceases to exist and operate. On July 22, Mehta requested the court to defer the proceedings to enable him to explore whether the respondent could be helped in any manner or if it was still feasible to address her concerns. In response, Rashid's counsel, Ankur Sharma and Himani Khajuria, submitted that she was agreeable to the course suggested by the solicitor general. On June 6, a single-judge bench of Justice Rahul Bharti ordered the Central government to "retrieve" Rashid. While passing the order, Justice Bharti observed, 'This court is bearing in mind the background reference that the petitioner was having long-term visa (LTV) status at the relevant point of time, which per se may not have warranted her deportation, but without examining her case in a better perspective and coming up with a proper order with respect to her deportation from the authorities concerned, she came to be forced out.' Rashid was served with a Leave India Notice on April 28 under Sections 3(1), 7(1), and 2(c) of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 1946, issued by the Criminal Investigation Department, directing her to leave the country by or before April 29. She approached the high court and sought interim relief to stay the operation of the order. However, she was issued an exit permit and escorted to the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar by the authorities, from where she crossed over to Pakistan. Rashid, a resident of Jammu's Talab Khatikan area, has four children who continue to reside in Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid, daughter of Mohammad Rashid from Namuddin Road in Islamabad, entered India on February 10, 1990, via Attari on a 14-day visitor visa to visit Jammu. She continued to stay under an LTV granted by the authorities on an annual basis. During her stay, she revealed that she married an Indian national. "It wasn't disputed either that her LTV was valid up to January 13, 2025, and she had applied for an extension on January 4, 2025. But no such extension was ever accorded," the order noted. Her husband expressed happiness over the decision and thanked the court. 'We are relieved... The entire family was under tension. We were suffering due to the decision (to deport her),' he said.
NDTV
02-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Home Ministry Allows Visitor Visa For Pakistani Woman Deported After Pahalgam Attack
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has informed the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh High Court that it has decided to grant a visitor's visa to Rakshanda Rashid, a Pakistani woman who was deported from Jammu after the Pahalgam terror attack, prompting the court to dismiss her petition seeking nod to return to her family here. The court, however, stated that the MHA order should not constitute a precedent in any manner. Rashid (62), a Pakistani citizen who married Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed 35 years ago in Jammu, was deported as part of the decision taken by the Indian government to deport Pakistani nationals staying in India in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the home ministry, informed the court that after considerable deliberation and in light of the peculiar circumstances of this case, an in-principle decision had been made to grant a visitor visa to Rashid. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal acknowledged this in its order. The bench further noted that Rashid can pursue the two applications moved by her regarding acquiring Indian citizenship as well as a long-term visa. The court recorded the submission of the solicitor general and noted that "once an in-principle decision is taken by the competent authority, there is hardly any doubt that, post compliance of the requisite procedures and formalities, the authority would process and accord a visitor's visa to the respondent at the earliest." The court dismissed Rashid's writ petition seeking relief from the deportation, saying that as a natural consequence, the impugned interim order loses its relevance and thus ceases to exist and operate. On July 22, Mehta requested the court to defer the proceedings to enable him to explore whether the respondent could be helped in any manner or if it was still feasible to address her concerns. In response, Rashid's counsel, Ankur Sharma and Himani Khajuria, submitted that she was agreeable to the course suggested by the solicitor general. On June 6, a single-judge bench of Justice Rahul Bharti ordered the Central government to "retrieve" Rashid. While passing the order, Justice Bharti observed, "This court is bearing in mind the background reference that the petitioner was having long-term visa (LTV) status at the relevant point of time, which per se may not have warranted her deportation, but without examining her case in a better perspective and coming up with a proper order with respect to her deportation from the authorities concerned, she came to be forced out." Rashid was served with a Leave India Notice on April 28 under Sections 3(1), 7(1), and 2(c) of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 1946, issued by the Criminal Investigation Department, directing her to leave the country by or before April 29. She approached the high court and sought interim relief to stay the operation of the order. However, she was issued an exit permit and escorted to the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar by the authorities, from where she crossed over to Pakistan. Rashid, a resident of Jammu's Talab Khatikan area, has four children who continue to reside in Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid, daughter of Mohammad Rashid from Namuddin Road in Islamabad, entered India on February 10, 1990, via Attari on a 14-day visitor visa to visit Jammu. She continued to stay under an LTV granted by the authorities on an annual basis. During her stay, she revealed that she married an Indian national. "It wasn't disputed either that her LTV was valid up to January 13, 2025, and she had applied for an extension on January 4, 2025. But no such extension was ever accorded," the order noted. Her husband expressed happiness over the decision and thanked the court. "We are relieved... The entire family was under tension. We were suffering due to the decision (to deport her)," he said.
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pak woman deported after Pahalgam attack to get visitor's visa: Govt to J&K HC
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has informed the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh High Court that it has decided to grant a visitor's visa to Rakshanda Rashid, a Pakistani woman who was deported from Jammu after the Pahalgam terror attack, prompting the court to dismiss her petition seeking nod to return to her family here. Rashid, daughter of Mohammad Rashid from Namuddin Road in Islamabad, entered India on February 10, 1990, via Attari on a 14-day visitor visa to visit Jammu.(Pixabay/Representational) The court, however, stated that the MHA order should not constitute a precedent in any manner. Rashid (62), a Pakistani citizen who married Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed 35 years ago in Jammu, was deported as part of the decision taken by the Indian government to deport Pakistani nationals staying in India in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the home ministry, informed the court that after considerable deliberation and in light of the peculiar circumstances of this case, an in-principle decision had been made to grant a visitor visa to Rashid. The division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal acknowledged this in its order. The bench further noted that Rashid can pursue the two applications moved by her regarding acquiring Indian citizenship as well as a long-term visa. The court recorded the submission of the solicitor general and noted that "once an in-principle decision is taken by the competent authority, there is hardly any doubt that, post compliance of the requisite procedures and formalities, the authority would process and accord a visitor's visa to the respondent at the earliest". The court dismissed Rashid's writ petition seeking relief from the deportation, saying that as a natural consequence, the impugned interim order loses its relevance and thus ceases to exist and operate. On July 22, Mehta requested the court to defer the proceedings to enable him to explore whether the respondent could be helped in any manner or if it was still feasible to address her concerns. In response, Rashid's counsel, Ankur Sharma and Himani Khajuria, submitted that she was agreeable to the course suggested by the solicitor general. On June 6, a single-judge bench of Justice Rahul Bharti ordered the Central government to "retrieve" Rashid. While passing the order, Justice Bharti observed, 'This court is bearing in mind the background reference that the petitioner was having long-term visa (LTV) status at the relevant point of time, which per se may not have warranted her deportation, but without examining her case in a better perspective and coming up with a proper order with respect to her deportation from the authorities concerned, she came to be forced out.' Rashid was served with a Leave India Notice on April 28 under Sections 3(1), 7(1), and 2(c) of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 1946, issued by the Criminal Investigation Department, directing her to leave the country by or before April 29. She approached the high court and sought interim relief to stay the operation of the order. However, she was issued an exit permit and escorted to the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar by the authorities, from where she crossed over to Pakistan. Rashid, a resident of Jammu's Talab Khatikan area, has four children who continue to reside in Jammu and Kashmir. Rashid, daughter of Mohammad Rashid from Namuddin Road in Islamabad, entered India on February 10, 1990, via Attari on a 14-day visitor visa to visit Jammu. She continued to stay under an LTV granted by the authorities on an annual basis. During her stay, she revealed that she married an Indian national. "It wasn't disputed either that her LTV was valid up to January 13, 2025, and she had applied for an extension on January 4, 2025. But no such extension was ever accorded," the order noted. Her husband expressed happiness over the decision and thanked the court. 'We are relieved... The entire family was under tension. We were suffering due to the decision (to deport her),' he said.
Hindustan Times
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Centre allows 62-yr-old Pak woman to return to Jammu on visitor visa
The Union ministry of home affairs has informed the high court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that it will grant visitor visa to a deported Pakistani woman, Rakshanda Rashid, 62, who had settled down in Jammu after marrying a local resident 38 years ago. She was deported as part of the punitive measures taken by India against Pakistan in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Her husband is Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed, chairman of the Muslim Front, Jammu. The Union ministry of home affairs has informed the high court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh that it will grant visitor visa to a deported Pakistani woman, Rakshanda Rashid, 62, who had settled down in Jammu after marrying a local resident 38 years ago. (Representational image) Sharing details, advocate Ankur Sharma said, 'The UT government and Government of India had challenged a previous single-judge order wherein it was directed to bring back Rakshanda from Pakistan within 10 days following her deportation. The authorities have now agreed to issue a visitor visa to her.' Rakshanda had applied for the renewal of her long-term visa (LTV), which had expired in January. While the authorities were processing her case, the Pahalgam attack unfolded and she was told to leave for Pakistan after the Centre's decision to deport all Pakistani nationals. A division bench, comprising chief justice Arun Palli and justice Rajnesh Oswal, on Wednesday gave its assent to the authorities concerned for allowing the visitor's visa to the elderly woman. The court, however, said that the arrangement 'shall not constitute a precedent in any manner'. Solicitor General of India, Tushar Mehta, who represented the home ministry, told the division bench that 'after much deliberation and considering the peculiarity of facts… an in-principle decision was taken to grant a visitor visa to the respondent.' He assured the court that the authorities would 'process and accord a visitor visa to her at the earliest'. The division bench observed that thereafter, the woman may pursue her two applications pending with the authorities on acquiring Indian citizenship and the long-term visa. Rakshanda was deported to Pakistan on April 29 and on June 6, the single-judge bench ordered her return to India. She had entered India on February 10, 1990, via a train through Attari on a visitor visa for 14 days to visit Jammu. She continued to stay on owing to the LTV granted by the authorities annually. During her stay, she married the Indian national in Jammu.
News18
02-08-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistani Woman Deported After Pahalgam Attack To Be Granted Visitor Visa; Here's Why
Last Updated: Rakshanda's long-term visa (LTV) had expired in January, prompting her to apply for its renewal. However, she was deported after the Pahalgam attack. A Pakistani woman, who was deported following the Pahalgam attack, will be given a visitor visa, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs told the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Rakshanda Rashid, 62, who had been living in Jammu for 38 years after marrying a local, was deported after India cancelled the visa of all Pakistani nationals after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22. Her husband, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed, is the chairman of the Muslim Front, Jammu. According to advocate Ankur Sharma,"The UT government and Government of India had challenged a previous single-judge order wherein it was directed to bring back Rakshanda from Pakistan within 10 days following her deportation. The authorities have now agreed to issue a visitor visa to her." Rakshanda's long-term visa (LTV) had expired in January, prompting her to apply for its renewal. While the application was still under consideration, the Pahalgam attack occurred. Soon after, in line with the Centre's directive to deport all Pakistani citizens, she was asked to return to Pakistan. He also assured that a visitor's visa will be processed and given to her at the earliest. The division bench noted that once the woman complies with the required process, she may continue to follow up on her two pending applications with the authorities—one for Indian citizenship and the other for a long-term visa. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
