In a dramatic week at the Attari-Wagah border, over 500 Pakistani nationals, including nine diplomats, exited India following a government directive that ended the stay of short-term visa holders. The move comes in the wake of a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based militants, which claimed 26 lives on April 22.
Starting April 24, a total of 537 Pakistanis crossed into their home country over four days as the ‘Leave India’ deadline for specific visa categories came into effect. Meanwhile, 850 Indian nationals, including 14 diplomats and officials, made their way back from Pakistan through the same corridor.
According to officials at the border, Sunday witnessed the largest movement, with 237 Pakistanis departing and 116 Indians returning. The previous days saw 191 and 81 Pakistanis leave, with a handful exiting as early as April 24. Officials noted that some Pakistanis may have also exited through other international airports, given the lack of direct air connectivity between the two countries.
The government’s notice applied to holders of 12 categories of short-term visas, including business, tourism, journalism, and student visas. Exemptions were made for those on long-term or official diplomatic assignments.
The sharp escalation follows a series of retaliatory diplomatic actions. On April 23, three Pakistani defence attaches were declared “persona non grata” and ordered to leave within a week, alongside five support staff members. India also withdrew its defence attaché from Islamabad in a reciprocal move.
Emotions ran high at the border crossing, where families gathered to bid farewell. Among them was Sarita, a Pakistani national whose mother, an Indian citizen, was not allowed to accompany her back to Pakistan. “We came to India after nine years for a wedding. Now we are being separated again,” said Sarita through tears.
Across India, state authorities scrambled to comply with the Centre’s directive. In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that all Pakistani nationals on short-term visas had been identified, with deportations underway. Telangana reported that of 208 Pakistani nationals residing in the state, only a handful needed to leave. Other states, including Bihar, Odisha, Gujarat, and Kerala, similarly confirmed compliance, with most short-term visa holders already departing.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah personally spoke to chief ministers, reinforcing the urgency of the directive. Following this, Home Secretary Govind Mohan convened a high-level video conference to ensure states expedited the departures.
Meanwhile, officials stressed that Pakistani Hindus and others residing on long-term visas, many of whom have applied for Indian citizenship, remain unaffected by the current measures.
The recent moves have deepened the diplomatic chill between New Delhi and Islamabad. With relations already strained, the fallout from the Pahalgam attack has seen both sides exchange a series of punitive actions, threatening to derail any prospects of reconciliation in the near term.
As the border gates clanged shut on another chapter of Indo-Pakistan engagement, for many families, the separation was not just geopolitical — it was deeply personal.
