Five Pak refugees in Gorakhpur seek permission to stay
Five Pakistani refugees in Gorakhpur on long-term visas are not affected by India's visa suspension, but their status is under close review amid heightened monitoring.
In the wake of the Ministry of External Affairs announcing the suspension of visa services to Pakistani nationals, five refugees from the neigbouring country living in Gorakhpur on long-term visas or LTVs had sought permission to remain in India, said senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gaurav Grover.
He, however, said the five people won’t be affected by the latest directive. “They [the five Pakistani nationals] have no reason to worry. However, as a precaution, their profiles are being reviewed closely,” he stated.
According to officials, the five refugees include two Hindu siblings living in Pipighanj and three Muslim individuals settled in Zafra Bazar, Ghasikatra, and the Durgabadi area. All were granted LTVs on humanitarian grounds after facing religious discrimination and harassment in Pakistan.
As per the records of the local intelligence unit, Nikhat Anis, a widow of the late Shameem Mahmood from Zafra Bazar, was born in Pakistan in 1960 and migrated to India in 1983. Similarly, Nasra Khatoon, widow of the late Farooq from Ghasikatra, was born in 1949 in Pakistan and migrated to India in 1982. Both women had been living in India for decades and reportedly have no remaining ties to Pakistan.
Rama Devi and her brother Basant Kumar, born in 1957 and 1965 respectively in Pakistan, faced religious persecution before migrating to India in 1981. They now reside in Pipighanj as refugees.
Officials said that while these individuals are not impacted by the recent visa revocation order, they have been contacted by the local intelligence unit to verify their current status. However, there is no immediate threat to their residency in India, as they continue to hold valid Long-Term Visas.
“Long-term visa holders are exempt from the government’s recent orders. Their stay remains legal, but the monitoring has been heightened due to the current sensitive situation,” an official added.
The intense monitoring is in response to the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22.
