BENGALURU: Nothing that the Government of India has taken a conscious decision to suspend various visas and also directed Pakistani nationals to leave the country to safeguard the interest of Indian citizens, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the petition filed by three minor Pakistani children through their mother with a prayer to issue directives to the Commissioner of Police and Foreigners Registration Officer, Mysuru City, to extend their visa or issue a long-term visa.
The children, who are Pakistani nationals born to an Indian mother and a Pakistani father, are presently residing in Mysuru.
“It is a matter of fact that, in view of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the Cabinet Committee on Security has taken a decision to suspend various visas, including visitor visas, and directed the Pakistani nationals to leave the country on or before April 27. The Under Secretary to the Government of India passed the order on March 25 regarding the revocation of visas of Pakistani nationals. Therefore, the government, through the Cabinet Committee, has taken a conscious decision to safeguard the interests of the citizens of India. In such circumstances, I do not find any reason to interfere with the order and pass an order in favour of the petitioners. Hence, the petition is dismissed,” said a vacation bench of Justice MG Uma.
The marriage of the mother of the petitioners, Ramsha Jahan, was solemnised in 2015 at Pishin in Pakistan. Despite her marriage to a Pakistani national, she has not yet applied for Pakistani citizenship but still holds Indian citizenship. Before the court, she represented her three minor children — Bibi Yamina (8), Muhammad Mudassir (4), and Muhammad Yousaf (3).
The children said that they entered India with their mother through a valid visa on January 4, 2025, and their visa was due to expire on June 18. They said that they were visiting India to attend the marriage of their maternal aunt. However, owing to the Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre revoked the visa granted to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect and ordered them to return to their country on or before April 30. They went to the Attari border on April 28 to enter Pakistan.
But there was no one to receive them, and further, since Pakistan closed its borders to its own citizens, the immigration authorities sent them back to Mysuru. Therefore, they gave a representation to the Commissioner of Police seeking a long-term visa or extension of visa on humanitarian grounds. But the commissioner has not taken a decision on the request, and she is threatening to take coercive steps against them if they do not leave India, they alleged.
Pointing this out, the counsel for the petitioners said they are ready to go back to Pakistan before May 15 after attending the wedding on May 12. However, the Union Government strongly opposed it.