Attari: Pakistani nationals have started arriving at the Wagah-Attari Border in Amritsar ahead of their deadline to leave India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead in a tourist hotspot known at ‘Mini Switzerland’ in Jammu and Kashmir.
India had suspended visa services for Pakistanis in a strong response after the ghastly attack, providing a Sunday deadline to such visa-holders to leave. The medical visas are valid till Tuesday. Pakistan, too, has suspended SAARC visas for Indians.
The decision has left Pakistani citizens in India preparing for their journey back home. Merely a kilometre from the India-Pakistan border, NDTV saw families waiting to cross over to the other side.
The Wagah border, which was the sole permissible trade route between the two countries, has also been shut. This means a stop on the border ceremony that drew a huge number of tourists on both sides.
Speaking to the media, a Pakistani national said, “I am going back to Pakistan. I received the information that this (terror attack) occurred in Kashmir, and I was asked to leave India within 48 hours. So, I am leaving.”
Indian authorities have also geared up for the movement of Pakistani nationals back to their country. In Uttar Pradesh, authorities have started the process to send back Pakistanis living in different cities.
No formal orders have been received from the central government, but directions have been sent to all districts from the police headquarters to start with the formalities, said Director General of Police Prashant Kumar. The details of Pakistani citizens who had come to UP on various types of visas are being collected, he added.
Also Read: Top LeT Commander Altaf Lalli Gunned Down in Bandipora After Pahalgam Attack!
