‘Sold everything, how can we return’: Families in despair amid strained India-Pak ties

“India is good; there’s nothing left for us in Pakistan. Prices are high, and there’s no work,” says a young child from a Pakistani Hindu family, standing outside the CID-Crime Branch (CID-CB) office in Barmer.

Their family, like many others, sold everything they had in Pakistan before coming to India, hoping for a better future. Now, with the Indian government’s directive ordering Pakistani nationals without valid Long Term Visas (LTVs) to leave the country by April 27, these families are left with uncertainties and possibility of being sent back to a place where they say they have no homes, no livelihood, and no future.

The directive, which follows the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, has thrown these families into a state of deep anxiety. While they arrived in India seeking safety and opportunities, they now face an uncertain future. Many of them had sold off their properties, businesses, and even homes in Pakistan before crossing into India.

For the past few days, the CID-CB office in Barmer has seen a surge of Pakistani Hindu families, many of whom are pleading for assistance to legalise their stay. Families were seen rushing to complete paperwork and gather the necessary documents in a last-ditch effort to stay in the country they now consider home.

18-member family pleads for stay

Among those seeking help was an 18-member Hindu family which recently arrived from Sindh province on April 19. Six women, five children, and seven men visited the CID-CB office, desperately pleading with officials to allow them to stay in India.

Suresh, a member of the family, shared their plight, saying, “We arrived on April 19 on a 45-day visa to visit relatives. Before coming, we sold everything we had in Pakistan. Our extended family is already settled here. There’s no one left for us back there. We have applied for Long Term Visas so we can stay here permanently.”

“What happened in Pahalgam is tragic, but we have nothing to do with it. We only want peace and a future for our children. We request the government to allow us to stay in India”, said.

‘We sold everything, how can we return now?’

Similar stories are unfolding across Barmer, as several other families have made similar appeals. Four Hindu families—comprising 33 members—arrived in Barmer alone in April, crossing through the Attari border. They too had sold their homes, lands, and businesses in Pakistan before migrating, hoping for a new beginning in India.

Among them is Satradas from Umerkot, who arrived with his seven family members on April 17. They have already applied for LTVs, hoping to settle permanently. Hamirmal from Sindh province, who came about 20 days ago with his wife and four children, is also awaiting a decision.

Jalamsingh from Umerkot arrived a month ago on a medical visa with his wife. Their son, an Indian citizen, is already settled here. They too have applied for a Long Term Visa and are seeking permanent settlement.

A father forced to return without attending his daughter’s wedding

One particular family affected by the directive is that of Swaroop Singh. While his daughter is an Indian citizen, Swaroop Singh lives in Pakistan with his wife and two sons. His daughter’s wedding is scheduled for April 29, but due to the strained relations between India and Pakistan, he is being forced to return to Pakistan today. Swaroop Singh had been looking forward to attending his daughter’s wedding, but now, he is returning with a heavy heart.

These families have formally applied for Long Term Visas and have informed intelligence agencies about their intentions to stay in India. They now hold on to the hope that the Indian government will show humanitarian consideration and allow them to remain in the country.

However, with the April 27 deadline having passed, authorities are set to initiate deportation proceedings against Pakistani nationals who have failed to leave India within the stipulated time or who do not have valid visa extensions.

Responding to the issue, an official from the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) said, “Following the government directives, we have asked the Pakistani nationals to leave India before the set deadline. Now, as the deadline has passed, we will act according to the government’s directions.”

“Pakistani nationals residing in India on visas other than Long Term Visas (LTVs) must return to Pakistan via the Attari Border by April 27, and those staying on medical visas must leave by April 29. Any Pakistani national who fails to leave India within the stipulated time, as directed by the Government of India, will be compulsorily deported”. Barmer SP Narendra Singh Meena said.