After the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India issued a notification that revoked all visas granted to Pakistani nationals, except for those specifically mentioned in the order. The notification also set a clear timeline for their deportation from India.
NEW DELHI: 5th June: A Pakistani national who has been living in Goa since 2016 on a long-term visa has approached the Supreme Court of India after the Central government cancelled visas of Pakistani nationals in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
The case was brought up today before a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma.
The attack, which took place on April 22, led to the tragic death of 26 people, most of whom were tourists.
After the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India issued a notification that revoked all visas granted to Pakistani nationals, except for those specifically mentioned in the order. The notification also set a clear timeline for their deportation from India.
On Thursday, the Pakistani citizen’s lawyer brought the case before a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma, seeking an urgent hearing on the matter. The lawyer submitted:
“This is a matter of a Pakistani national residing in Goa since 2016 on long-term visa. After the Pahalgam attack, there is a notification issued by the Government of India,” the counsel said.
In response, the bench firmly remarked:
“You go back,” the bench said.
However, the lawyer quickly explained that the petitioner was not opposing deportation, but only wanted a fair chance to be heard due to a specific condition mentioned in the long-term visa.
The lawyer added:
“The petitioner would go back but he may be heard as there was a specific condition in the long-term visa.”
The bench was also informed that the petitioner was born in India, a detail that could be relevant in deciding his case.
Still, the Court asked why the petitioner did not first approach the jurisdictional High Court, instead of directly filing in the apex court:
The top court, however, inquired with the counsel why his client hadn’t moved the jurisdictional high court.
To this, the counsel replied that local police had already visited the petitioner, indicating that deportation steps had begun.
The court then said:
The counsel responded saying the police came to the petitioner following which the court said the matter would be listed for hearing.
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In a separate case heard on May 2, the Supreme Court had directed authorities not to deport six members of a family who were allegedly overstaying their visas, until the government verified their citizenship claims. This shows the Court is willing to consider individual circumstances before deciding on deportation matters.
The Supreme Court has not passed any final order yet but has agreed to hear the matter in due course.
