New Delhi: In a relief to Pakistani nationals living in India for a long time and who were facing inevitable deportation, the Ministry of Home Affairs has expanded the exemptions beyond the group of Long Term Visas (LTV) holders and included those whose applications for such visas are pending or are eligible for it.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur has added more exemptions, such as Pakistani women who are married to Indian men and living on LTVs, as well as opened windows to those whose Pakistani passports have expired.
The Ministry of External Affairs had already clarified Thursday that LTVS issued to Pakistani Hindus were to remain valid even as all visas issued to Pakistani nationals were set to be revoked by 29 April at the latest.
The Jodhpur FRRO said that it has approved the LTVs of 362 Pakistani nationals in 3 days till Monday. Hundreds of migrants from Pakistan, especially Hindus, are living in clusters in Jodhpur.
The exemptions were announced around 5 days after the central government revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals and set 27 April as the cancellation date for standard visas. People with medical visas were asked to leave the country by 29 April, when their visas expired.
The decision to revoke visas was among the list of diplomatic measures taken by New Delhi in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen were shot dead.
The MEA had also advised Pakistani nationals currently in India to leave the country before their amended visas expire. Indian citizens have been strongly advised to avoid travelling to Pakistan. Those currently in Pakistan are urged to return to India at the earliest opportunity.
While the MEA had already clarified that LTVs issued to Pakistani Hindus were to remain valid even in case of suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals, the latest exemption announced by Jodhpur FRRO has extended the categories to include even those who are eligible for it or those whose applications are under consideration.
In a press note, the FRRO Jodhpur has said that Pakistani nationals living in Jodhpur, whose LTVs have expired should approach its office to renew them immediately.
Additionally, Pakistani immigrants whose applications for LTVs are pending for approval before FRRO have also been exempted from deportation, the FRRO Jodhpur said.
The FRRO also urged those who are eligible to apply for LTVs and are yet to apply for it to approach its office immediately with all relevant documents.
Additionally, those whose Pakistani passports have expired should have also been asked to reach out immediately to the FRRO to seek further instructions from the MHA and the MEA.
Among other key exemptions, the MHA has excluded women of Pakistani origin who are married to Indian men and are living on LTVs from the list of Pakistani nationals set to be deported.
The FRRO further urged those who have secured Indian citizenship to submit their proof of citizenship to its office for updating of records.
“Registration and LTV of Pakistani citizens by the Foreign Registration Officer Office, Jodhpur City. A special campaign has been launched to receive applications, allowing for the quick processing of all Pakistani citizens’ applications and providing relief to them. LTV of 362 Pakistani citizens approved in the last 3 days. The applications have been accepted and registered; the process is ongoing,” the FRRO Jodhpur said in a press statement.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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