Union Home Minister Amit Shah Directs States to Ensure Departure of Pakistani Nationals Amid Rising Tensions
In a significant move amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, April 25, 2025, personally reached out to the Chief Ministers of all Indian states, instructing them to ensure that no Pakistani national remains in India beyond the deadline set for their departure, according to highly placed sources.
This development follows India’s major diplomatic decision on Thursday, April 24, 2025, to revoke all visas previously issued to Pakistani citizens.
The revocation is set to come into effect from April 27. In a parallel advisory, Indian nationals currently residing in Pakistan have been urged to return home at the earliest opportunity, as relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply following a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this week.
The Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred on Tuesday, April 22, claimed the lives of 26 individuals, the majority of whom were tourists.
This incident, described as one of the deadliest attacks on civilians since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, has sparked nationwide outrage and intensified India’s diplomatic offensive against Pakistan.
According to sources, Home Minister Shah, during his direct conversations with the Chief Ministers, emphasized the need for meticulous identification and tracking of Pakistani nationals currently residing in various states.
He directed state governments to carry out comprehensive verifications and take immediate steps to ensure the deportation of any Pakistani citizen remaining in India after the stipulated deadline.
Officials clarified that the sweeping visa revocation does not apply to Pakistani Hindu nationals who had earlier been granted long-term visas. Their stay in India remains unaffected, and their visas remain valid under existing terms.
In addition to revoking regular visas, the Indian government has suspended all visa services for Pakistani citizens with immediate effect.
This move comes in light of credible intelligence linking elements across the border to the Pahalgam attack. Furthermore, the government has withdrawn the travel privileges extended to Pakistani citizens under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES).
As per the fresh orders, Pakistani nationals who are currently in India under the SVES category have been given a strict deadline of 48 hours, ending Friday, to leave the country.
The crackdown on Pakistani nationals staying in India underscores the Modi government’s determination to take a tough stance in the wake of terror threats.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation, vowed that India would “identify, track, and punish” every individual involved in the Pahalgam carnage, along with their supporters and financiers.
He asserted that those responsible would not find refuge anywhere in the world, with India committed to pursuing them “to the ends of the earth.”
The strong measures reflect India’s broader strategy to isolate Pakistan diplomatically while ensuring internal security measures are fortified.
Security agencies across the country have been put on high alert, and coordination between central and state agencies has been intensified to monitor and act against any potential threats.
As the deadline for the departure of Pakistani nationals looms, state authorities have already begun compiling data and initiating verification drives to ensure strict compliance with the Home Ministry’s orders.
