A 69-year-old Pakistani national, Abdul Waheed, tragically passed away from cardiac arrest on Wednesday, just before he was set to be repatriated to Pakistan. Waheed, who had been living in India for 17 years, was found to be residing on an expired visa. He had been brought to Amritsar from Srinagar by the Jammu and Kashmir Police to be deported through the Attari-Wagah border.
Sources confirmed that Waheed’s death occurred shortly before his scheduled repatriation. His sudden passing has raised concerns about the conditions of individuals in similar situations, especially those with expired visas and facing uncertain deportation processes.
In a separate development at the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP), 224 individuals, including Indian nationals and Pakistani citizens holding No Obligation to Return to India (NORI) visas, crossed into India. Simultaneously, 139 Pakistani nationals were repatriated to Pakistan.
Among the arrivals was 35-year-old Monika Rajani, a Pakistani passport holder with NORI and Long-Term Visa (LTV) status. She was accompanied by her five-year-old daughter, Saimara, who was born in India. Speaking to reporters, Monika described her decision to cross the border in a state of panic, fearing it might close at any moment. “I crossed over from Pakistan in a panic,” she said. Monika, originally from a Hindu family, married a Hindu man from Vijayawada nine years ago. Her husband and in-laws were at the ICP to welcome her and their daughter.
These developments come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, especially following the controversial Pahalgam incident earlier this week. The Indian government, led by the BJP, has expelled all Pakistani nationals in India, citing security concerns after a false flag operation in Pahalgam. This move has sparked debate over the treatment of Pakistani nationals, particularly those holding special visa statuses such as NORI and LTV.
As the situation continues to unfold at the Attari border, the fate of many individuals caught in this complex situation remains uncertain. Waheed’s death has only underscored the growing humanitarian and diplomatic concerns surrounding the ongoing repatriation process.
