Pahalgam attack: Emotional scenes at Wagah Attari border as Pakistanis leave India
Emotions ran high at the Wagah-Attari border in Punjab as the deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave India came to an end on April 27. Among those caught in the crossfire were a Pakistani woman who had to leave behind her husband and eight-year-old son and another who was pregnant and got married just six months ago.
As per the latest data, 682 Pakistanis were sent back from the Attari border after their visas were revoked by India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 tourists dead. The Home Ministry has directed all states to ensure the return of all Pakistani nationals.
At the Attari border, heartbreaking scenes played out as several Pakistani nationals shared their concerns with India Today and appealed to the government to reconsider their decision.
‘HOW WILL A CHILD STAY WITHOUT HIS MOTHER’
Among them was Iram, a resident of Karachi who had been married for 10 years and was staying in Delhi with her Indian husband. The couple have an eight-year-old son. All hell broke loose when one day police showed up at their doorstep and asked her to leave.
“Families are devastated. This is against basic human rights. We are being forcefully evicted from India. I can’t imagine how I would live in Pakistan without my husband and my son,” Iram told India Today.
Iram lamented that her Long Term Visa (LTV) application got cancelled during the Covid-19 pandemic and her passport application got rejected twice. “Getting Indian citizenship is not easy… The government must rethink its decision,” she said.
While condemning the Pahalgam attack, Iram said the attackers should be punished, and not ordinary people. “I feel very sorry for those killed in Pahalgam, but many families are being finished like this too. Women and children are the most affected. The attackers should be punished, not us,” she said.
Her husband, Shahbaz, appealed to the government to understand their “pain”. “How will a child stay without his mother? Should I go to work or take care of the child? What has the child done that he has to be separated from his mother,” he said.
‘INDIA NOT SENDING A CORRECT MESSAGE’
Another woman, Samreen, broke down as she recounted her ordeal, saying she got married in October last year and was pregnant. Samreen, who is from Karachi, said the move by India to send all Pakistani nationals back was not a correct message.
“It is very difficult for me to be separated from my husband. This shouldn’t have happened. If the government thinks that Pakistan is behind it, then they should not allow anyone from Pakistan in Kashmir. Other states should have been spared,” Samreen said.
