Bhubaneswar: The Indian government has ordered the return of Pakistani nationals residing in India on long-term visas, following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. In Odisha, several Pakistani nationals have received notices to leave the country.
Sarada Kukreja, who has been living in Balangir with her family for over 35 years after marrying an Indian, has been asked to leave India. She expressed her distress, stating that she has no family left in Pakistan and has been an active participant in local elections, possessing an election ID and Aadhaar card. Her husband and children are Indian citizens, and she requested the government not to separate her from her family.
Similarly, Nagma Yusuf, a Pakistani woman residing in Bhubaneswar since 2008, has received a notice to leave the city. She married an Odia man, Mohammed Nizamuddin, in a love marriage and her visa expired in 2024. She had applied for an exit visa, which is still pending.
Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jagmohan Meena confirmed at a press conference that one Pakistani national is living in the city. The individual has been served a ‘Leave India’ notice, he said.
The Pakistani national has already completed the exit formalities through an online process, which was cleared on Friday.
Instructions have also been issued to Pakistani nationals residing in other parts of Odisha to leave the country by April 27.
“There was an order from the Government of India under which visas of Pakistani nationals living in India have been revoked. Based on this, the state government directed all district officers to verify records. During this exercise, it was found that one Pakistani national is residing in Bhubaneswar. We contacted him and found that he had already applied for an exit permit, which was approved today. He has been asked to leave India by April 27,” DCP Meena said.
Razia Sultana, another Pakistani national living in Soro, Balasore district, for the last 30 years, has also been asked to leave the country. The police have issued notices to these individuals, directing them to depart India immediately. Failure to comply may result in action being taken against them.
There are reportedly 12 Pakistani nationals in Odisha who may be affected by the government decision. The government’s decision is part of its efforts to take action following the Pahalgam terrorist attack.
