JAIPUR: In a significant relief for an Indian mother, one-and-a-half-year-old Adarshni, a Pakistani citizen by birth, has been granted special permission to remain in India with her mother, Bhaur Rashmi. The decision comes in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which led the Indian government to issue an order mandating that all Pakistani citizens on short-term visas leave the country within 48 hours.
This sudden directive placed Rashmi and her daughter in a deeply distressing situation. Rashmi, an Indian citizen by birth, had married Dhanpat Singh Sodha, a resident of Amarkot in Pakistan, three years ago. However, she never acquired Pakistani citizenship and continues to hold an Indian passport. Their daughter, Adarshni, born in Pakistan, is officially recognised as a Pakistani national.
On April 3, 2025, Rashmi travelled to her parental home in Jaitsar in Rajasthan with her daughter. But following the government's deportation orders, Adarshni was suddenly prohibited from remaining in India, raising the alarming possibility that the toddler might be sent back to Pakistan alone.
After urgent appeals and persistent efforts by the family, senior officials in the central government have finally intervened. Special permission has been granted for Adarshni to stay in India with her mother, lifting the immediate threat of separation and allowing the family to remain united.
Sri Ganganagar Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Yadav, confirmed to the media that, as per instructions from higher authorities, the girl's family was informed of the required procedures. Following compliance, the girl is now safely residing with her mother in India.
Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued updated guidelines offering relief to Pakistani nationals residing in India on Long-Term Visas (LTVs). Under the revised directive, LTV holders are not required to leave the country, providing significant respite to many who are legally settled in India.
In the last 7 days alone, more than 362 Pakistani nationals in Rajasthan have had their LTVs approved and formally registered. Officials also clarified that people whose LTV applications are still pending or under consideration are exempt from deportation for the time being.
Notably, Pakistani Muslim women married to Indian citizens and residing in India on LTVs are also not being asked to return under the new rules.
A large number of Pakistani refugees, particularly Hindus, have settled in Rajasthan’s border districts such as Jaisalmer, Barmer, and especially Jodhpur. Cross-border marriages are common in these areas, often leading to complex situations where families are split, with some members living in India and others either stuck in or being asked to return to Pakistan.
In at least three to four documented cases, mothers and children hold citizenship from different countries, typically a result of birth circumstances, creating emotional and bureaucratic challenges. Many of these families continue to live in uncertainty, awaiting either a resolution or more comprehensive reforms to address their cross-border realities.