JAIPUR: The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam has intensified tensions between India and Pakistan, disrupting the lives of countless ordinary people. In response, the Indian government has taken a firm stance by cancelling the visas of Pakistani citizens and ordering them to return home.
This move has deeply impacted many Pakistani individuals and families, particularly those who had recently arrived in Rajasthan, the state sharing the longest border with Pakistan.
Among the worst-hit is the love story of two youths from Jaisalmer, which flourished in Pakistan two years ago, led to their marriage, but has now also fallen prey to the sudden orders from the government. After a love marriage in Pakistan in the year 2023, the two brides, Sachul and Karma Khatoon, have to return to Pakistan, just 13 days after coming to their in-laws' house in Jaisalmer.
While the mehndi on the brides' hands has yet to fade, orders have arrived for them to return to their parental homes in Pakistan, casting a shadow of sadness over their husbands' homes in Jaisalmer.
Cousins Saleh Mohammad and Mushtaq Ali, residents of Devikot in Jaisalmer, had gone to meet their aunt in Ghotki district of Sindh province of Pakistan in July 2023. There, they fell in love with two girls named Karam Khatun (21) and Sachul (22). After the consent of the families, the Nikah of both was done in August 2023.
Despite the Nikah, both the brides could not get a visa to India but the grooms had to return to India in September 2023 and started waiting for their brides to come to India after getting their visas. After waiting for about one and a half years, both the brides finally got their visas from the Government of India in April 2025. Both promptly came to Jaisalmer on 11 April and started living with their husbands and their family.
Just 10 days later on 22 April, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam has shattered their new-found wedded-bliss. With the Modi government ordering Pakistani citizens to leave India, the bride's father-in-law Haji Abdullah is now a worried man. He says that “after the arrival of both the brides in India, we had applied for a long-term visa. But after the government's order, the police administration is pressuring us to send both the brides back to Pakistan.”
Father-in-law Haji Abdullah is worried about the safety of both the brides. He asks anxiously, “after the government's order, the police administration is forcing us to send these young brides back to Pakistan. In such a tense situation, how will these two go to Pakistan? If the roads are closed after going from here, then our family will be destroyed.” He has requested both the local authorities and the Indian government to allow the brides to settle in his family.
Meanwhile, the two young brides are deeply disappointed at getting the information of being sent to Pakistan. Both of them say that they will “ prefer to die rather than leave their husbands and go back to Pakistan.”
Karam Khatoon's father-in-law Abdullah points out that the brides are in no position to go back to Pakistan. He remarked, “Karam Khatoon's mother has died. She was raised by her father and after marriage, her father has also gone to work in Arab. In such a situation, on whose trust can we send Karam back to Pakistan.” Abdullah says he is unable to contact Karam's father and “there is no one there who can take care of her. Due to this, I cannot send her alone to Pakistan.” Abdullah has appealed to the government to give concessions.
A similar tough situation confronts another family of 18 members from Tando Allahyar district of Pakistan who have come to Rajasthan’s Barmer district just last weekend. The family had come with the intention of staying in India and had reached Barmer just a few days ago. On Saturday, this Hindu family from Pakistan, requested the government with folded hands to let them stay in India, as they have also applied for a long term visa.
Family member Suresh says that “there is no income in Pakistan while the expenses are very high and that’s why we came to live here.” Suresh asserts that most of his family and relatives live in India, and that’s why they came on visa on 19th April to leave Pakistan and stay in India forever. The 18 members of this family include women, children and men.
He said that “India is very good and we want to stay here for which we have submitted all the documents for long term visas. We request the government that we should be allowed to stay in Barmer.” Another member of the family, Kailash Kumar says “we have come here as we are fed up with Pakistan. We request the Indian government with folded hands, to help us stay here.”
All Pakistani citizens who had come to India recently on religious visa, visitor visa or for other reasons, except those whose Long Term Visa (LTV) has been approved or is under consideration, all Pak citizens will have to return to Pakistan in compliance with the instructions of the Government of India. But these affected families in Rajasthan hope that the Indian government will understand their pain and save them from being ruined.
Clearly, as India-Pakistan tensions escalate, the lives of many ordinary people are getting badly hit and in the crossfire between the two bitter neighbours, its common citizens who are feeling helpless and are bound to suffer in countless ways.