Pahalgam terror attack: India relaxes deadline, allows Pakistanis to leave via Wagah-Attari border till further notice

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday said that Pakistani nationals can return via the Wagah-Attari border until further notice. This order by the Home Ministry modifies its previous order, which states that Pakistani nationals will have to leave the country by April 30. 

The order read as accessed by India Today read: "The government issued a 'Leave India' notice to Pakistani nationals after 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed by Pakistan-linked terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. The order in the said OM has been reviewed and in partial modification of the said OM, it is now ordered that Pakistani nationals may be allowed to exit India to go into Pakistan from Integrated Check Post at Attari till further orders, with due clearances."

The deadline for leaving India for those holding SAARC visas was April 26 and for those carrying medical visas, it was April 29. The 12 categories of visa holders who had to leave India included visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim and group pilgrim.

The development came almost a day after the Home Ministry expanded the list of categories exempted from deportation. On April 29, the MHA issued guidelines that Pakistani Hindus who "applied for long term visas (LTVs)" and whose applications are "under process" will be exempted from the deportation process.

Hindu migrants who were eligible but had not yet applied for LTV were also eligible for exemption on the condition that they apply immediately. 

Any Pakistani individual who does not depart from India by the government’s established deadlines will face arrest and prosecution, potentially resulting in a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to Rs 3 lakh, or both.

The government issued a 'Leave India' notice to Pakistani nationals after 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed by Pakistan-linked terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22.