1800 Pak nationals staying in U.P. have to return home

The officials also said some are already returning on their own, but those who fail to depart before the deadline will face legal action.

: Nearly 1,800 Pakistani nationals, who are visiting India and staying in Uttar Pradesh on different types of visas, will now have to go back home after the Union government cancelled visas of all Pakistani citizens and asked them to return to their country, senior police officials said. The Union government decision came following the Pahalgam attack.

The officials also said some are already returning on their own, but those who fail to depart before the deadline will face legal action (Sourced)

Officials said the figures of Pakistani nationals in Uttar Pradesh do not include those who have applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The officials also said some are already returning on their own, but those who fail to depart before the deadline will face legal action.

Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Prashant Kumar said the state police and its other agencies will take action to send Pakistani citizens back as per the central government’s orders.

“So far, we haven’t received any formal order in this regard,” he said and added, “Although the necessary directives have been issued all district police chiefs in this regard.”

A senior police official said the figures and details of Pakistan nationals staying in the state are being collected. He said the reports have received regarding 35 Pakistan nationals staying in Bareilly, 30 in Rampur, 18 in Bulandshahr and 10 in Varanasi. He said many Pakistani citizens have close relationships with Muslim families in the state, adding that some overstay their visas and change their identities or go into hiding after their visas expire.

The police act against those who don’t leave after their visa expires. However, some manage to avoid action due to legal complexities, he added. He further said many Pakistan nationals use the Nepal route to enter India illegally without a visa. Officials suspect the number of Pakistani infiltrators in India is lower than the count of Bangladeshi nationals. Some infiltrators obtain Indian citizenship documents, making it difficult to identify them.