NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Saturday refused to entertain a petition by a Pakistani woman who asked for her long-term visa application to be considered. The woman, Sheena Naz, is married to an Indian citizen. She had applied for a long-term visa on April 23.
The woman had also sought not to revoke/ suspend the residential permit, valid from March 26, 2025 till May 9, 2025, issued under Rule 6 of the Registration of Foreigner’s Rules, 1992 and further extend it time to time. However, after the terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian government decided on April 24 to suspend visa services for Pakistani nationals. It also directed them to leave India by April 27.
Because of this, Naz approached the High Court. During a special hearing on Saturday, Justice Sachin Datta said that the government’s decision could not be challenged in court, as it was made due to serious national security concerns. “Prima facie, the aforesaid order issued under Section 3(1) of the Foreigners Act, 1946 does not warrant any judicial review given that the issuance of the same was impelled by serious national security considerations,” read the Court order. It further said that it is also not within the province of this Court to carve out any exception(s) thereto. As the Court showed no willingness to entertain the petition, the lawyer for Sheena Naz chose to withdraw it.
“In the circumstances, this Court has expressed its disinclination to entertain the present petition. At this stage, learned senior counsel for the petitioner, on instructions, seeks leave to withdraw the present petition. The petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn. Pending applications also stand disposed of,” the Court order added.
In yet another development, Seema Haider has appealed for permission to remain in India, declaring, “I was Pakistan’s daughter, but now I am India’s daughter-in-law,” as concerns mount over possible deportation. Her plea comes after India suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Haider came into the public eye in 2023 after illegally entering India via Nepal, along with her four children, to marry Sachin Meena, an Indian national. At the time, she was already married in Pakistan’s Sindh province.