887 Pak nationals head back as deadline ends

At least 110 Pakistani citizens were repatriated through the Attari-Wagah border on Tuesday as the deadline for all short-term and medical visa holders from Pakistan to return home ended, taking the total number of such returnees in the last six days to 887, officials said.

- Surjit Singh and Neeraj Chauhan [e-mail]

AMRITSAR:

The Centre revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals as tension between the two countries escalated over the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. Those in possession of long-term visas were exempted from the order.

Several states on Tuesday confirmed that they were sending back all Pakistani nationals living on short-term and medical visas.

For example, Rajasthan said 109 Pakistani nationals living on short-term visas have been sent back from the state while 841 people from the neighbouring country have applied for a long-term visa (LTV) to stay in India.

The Uttar Pradesh government has already declared that all but one Pakistani national have been sent back to their home country.

The last Pakistani citizen will be sent back on Wednesday, the state government said in a statement on Monday, without specifying the exact number of people sent back to Pakistan. "In case somebody has stayed beyond the deadline, they will be considered violating the Indian laws by overstaying here."

According to the process, they could be detained and handed over to the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Offices), which will then begin process of deportation," a central government official said.