By The Sampadak Express
In the aftermath of the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, more than 1,000 Indian nationals have returned home from Pakistan via the Wagah border over the past six days, following the cancellation of their visas. Pakistani authorities confirmed that over 800 Pakistani citizens have similarly returned from India during this period.
A government official stated on Monday that visa cancellations and tightened border controls have disrupted the travel plans of many long-term visa holders on both sides. On Sunday alone, 236 Pakistanis crossed back into their country, while 115 Indians returned home.
The increased border activity comes after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed in one of the deadliest strikes in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.
In response, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) took swift action, ordering the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari. As a result, the Attari-Wagah border crossing, which connects Amritsar in India and Lahore in Pakistan, has seen heightened security and immigration scrutiny.
Visa privileges under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) have been suspended by both countries. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that all visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals were revoked effective April 27. However, medical visas remain valid until April 29.
On the Pakistani side, authorities also revoked Indian visas under SVES, ordered the closure of the Wagah border post, and instructed Indian military advisers stationed at the High Commission in Islamabad to depart. Pakistan further stated that all cross-border transit through Wagah is now suspended, with the exception of those returning immediately — no later than April 30.
Travelers with long-term visas, Overseas Citizens of India (OCI), and individuals with ‘No Objection to Return to India’ endorsements have also been impacted, with several being denied border entry.
The border restrictions and visa suspensions mark a significant diplomatic setback, affecting hundreds of families and disrupting people-to-people exchanges across the Indo-Pak border.
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