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CRPF jawan's Pakistani wife gets last-minute relief from deportation, returns to Jammu
Minal Khan was sent to Attari border for deportation to Pakistan on Tuesday.
Minal Khan, a Pakistani national married to a CRPF jawan, was granted last-minute relief from deportation by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Wednesday.
Minal, who had married Munir Khan online, had left Jammu for the Attari border when her lawyer informed her about the court's decision.
“Munir Ahmed, who is a CRPF constable, got married to Pakistani national Meenal Khan, 2.5 months ago. She came to India on a visiting visa and then applied for a long-term visa,” advocate Ankush Sharma told ANI.
“…She had appeared for the interview for a long-term visa, and positive recommendations were sent to the MHA for giving her a long-term visa.”
After India revoked visas of Pakistani nationals, barring a few under special categories, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Minal was sent back from Jammu for deportation to her country of origin.
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"The Pahalgam attack happened, and she didn't have a long-term visa, so she was sent to Attari border...a case was filed in the J&K High Court, and the hearing took place, the court passed an interim order...after that, she was sent back to Jammu. She reached Jammu yesterday around 3am..," Sharma told ANI.
Earlier, Minal had urged the Indian government to let families stay together.
Also Read | Rahul Gandhi demands martyr status for Pahalgam attack victims
"We should be allowed to stay with the family," PTI quoted Minal Khan as saying. "We condemn the barbaric killings of innocents in the attack. They should be punished severely."
786 Pakistani nationals deported
As many as 786 Pakistani nationals, including 55 diplomats, their dependents and support staff, besides eight Indians with Pakistani visa, have left India through the Attari-Wagah border crossing in the last six days following a government order in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, PTI reported, citing officials.
A total of 1,465 Indians, including 25 diplomats and officials, besides 151 Pakistani citizens with long-term Indian visas have crossed over to India from Pakistan through the international border crossing located in Punjab since April 24.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on April 25 called up the chief ministers of all states and asked them to ensure that no Pakistani stays in India beyond the deadline set for leaving the country.
