‘Let us stay or send in body bags’: Pakistani wives of former Kashmiri militants urge govt
Some Pakistani women living in Kashmir came to India with their husbands, who quit militancy and joined the mainstream under Omar Abdullah's policy.
Pakistani wives of former Kashmiri militants, who were rehabilitated under a 2010 policy, said they would rather die than be sent back to their home country following India's latest visa restrictions.
These women are staying in the Kashmir Valley after coming to India with their husbands, who quit militancy and joined the mainstream under the then-chief minister Omar Abdullah's policy, according to a PTI news agency report. Some of them said the government should instead send them in body bags rather than send them alive to Pakistan.
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Alyza Rafiq, who lives in a north Kashmir district, said that the local police have informed her to leave the country. “I have three children. They have told me to leave my youngest daughter here. She is little, how can I leave her here?” she wondered.
“How can I leave my husband here. I have built a house here. We came here because of the government's policy. What have we done? What is our fault in this? We have an election card and an Aadhar card. I have voted in elections,” the PTI report quoted her.
Appealing tearfully to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, she said, “I appeal to the Governor sahib, please do not be cruel to us. We have not committed any sin. Please let us live here. If not, then kill us and send our bodies across the border,” she said.
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Zahida Begum said she does not want to go back to Pakistan after building a life in Kashmir Valley. She also showed her identity documents like the domicile certificate, Aadhar, election card, and ration card as proofs of her life here.
“I have two daughters, Maryam and Aamna. My son, Faizan, is 10 and they are telling me to keep him here. I do not want to go back, please forgive me. I want to live here,” Begum said.
The woman said that going back to Pakistan will ruin the life of her children who have been living in peace in India. “Even my children do not want to go back,” she said.
Visa restrictions
The Centre asked Pakistani nationals visiting India on a SAARC visa to leave by April 26, while the rest should exit on April 27. The 12 categories of visas whose holders left India by Sunday are – visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim and group pilgrim.
Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals are valid till April 29. The Centre has informed that those staying beyond the new limits will face legal action under the newly enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
(With PTI inputs)
