Pakistan introduced on Friday (May 2, 2025) that it might proceed to allow using the Wagah border crossing for its citizens stranded in India, following New Delhi’s resolution to revoke visas in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror incident.
The Attari-Wagah border, positioned close to Amritsar in India and Lahore in Pakistan, was shut on Thursday (May 1, 2025) after being stored open until April 30.
As many as 70 Pakistani nationals have been reportedly stranded on the border on Thursday, because the deadline for leaving India expired a day earlier.
Responding to media queries, the spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) acknowledged experiences of Pakistani nationals, together with kids, stranded on the Attari border on the Indian facet.
“We are aware of the media reports indicating that some Pakistani nationals are stranded at Attari. We are open to receiving our citizens in case the Indian authorities allow them to cross the border from their side,” the MoFA spokesperson said.
The Wagah border would stay open for Pakistani nationals in search of to return in the long run as effectively, the spokesperson mentioned.
The Foreign Office additionally criticised India’s resolution to revoke the visas of Pakistani citizens.
“The Indian decision to revoke visas of Pakistani citizens is creating serious humanitarian challenges,” it said, citing disruptions to medical treatments and family separations.
India had issued the ‘Leave India’ notice to Pakistani nationals after 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by terrorists with Pakistan links in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.
The deadline for exiting India for those holding SAARC visas was April 26. For those carrying medical visas, the deadline was April 29. The deadline for 12 other categories of visas was April 27. These were visas on arrival and visas for business, film, journalists, transit, conferences, mountaineering, students, visitors, group tourists, pilgrims, and group pilgrims.
After the expiry of the deadline, no one from Pakistan or India could cross over to each other’s country.
Mirroring India’s steps, Islamabad had also closed the Wagah border post, cancelled visas given to Indians under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), and asked military advisers at the Indian High Commission to leave.
“All cross-border transit from India through this route shall be suspended, without exception. Those who have crossed with valid endorsements may return through that route immediately but not later than April 30,” Pakistan had mentioned final month.
Published – May 02, 2025 02:31 pm IST
