537 Pakistanis leave via Attari; no order to extend deadline, say officials

A BSF personnel checks documents of Pakistani nationals arriving to cross over to their country as the deadline to exit India nears its end, amid escalating tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack, at the Attari-Wagah border point, near Amritsar, Sunday, April 27, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI

As the deadline for Pakistani citizens on visas to leave the country ended on Sunday (April 27, 2025) — excluding those on medical visas, diplomatic, and long-term visas — a senior Home Ministry official said that almost all have left the country even as further verification was on.

The decision to revoke visas given to Pakistani citizens was taken in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed by terrorists.

Police officials in various States and Union Territories told The Hindu that they have not received any directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to extend the deadline. Another government official said that exemption may be granted on grounds of extreme compassion in some cases.

Since April 24, 537 Pakistani citizens have left India through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Punjab’s Attari – the land route for passenger movement and trade between the two countries. Other than Attari, Pakistani nationals may use the air route via a third country as there are no direct flights between India and Pakistan.

India, on April 23, announced the closure of the ICP at Attari, and as a part of a punitive measure, Pakistani nationals have been banned from travelling to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES). A 48-hour deadline was set up, which ended on Sunday, for any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa to leave India. The deadline for exiting India for those carrying medical visas is April 29.

A Punjab Police protocol officer at the Attari international border (Attari-Wagah) told The Hindu that passenger movement of 353 people was registered on Sunday – the arrival of 116 people from Pakistan and the departure of 237 people from India. He said that between April 24 and Sunday, 850 people from Pakistan have arrived in India.

The MHA, which monitors the stay and exit of Pakistani nationals, did not provide any data on the total number of Pakistanis who hold 14 categories of Indian visas that were revoked on April 25, and those who have left.

The Uttar Pradesh Police said in a statement that the process ensuring the exit of Pakistani citizens under all the stated categories has been completed, adding that only one Pakistani citizen remained here who would leave on April 30.

A Delhi Police official said that the department had a list of around 2,500 Pakistani citizens, including those on long-term visas. “Most were not found living at the address provided in the immigration form indicating that they had left the country, but further verification with the airport and land port is on,” said the official.

At the ICP gate, Pakistani nationals, including women and children, lined up to cross over to Pakistan as emotions ran high. Speaking to reporters, the majority of them condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and said they did not want to leave India.

The long-term visa, generally valid for one to five years, is mostly granted to members of Hindu and Sikh communities from Pakistan who enter India with the aim of getting citizenship. These have not been revoked.