HC order brings back Pakistani woman from Attari for reunion with CRPF trooper husband | India News

SRINAGAR: Pakistan nationwide Meenal Ahmed Khan was reunited with her husband, CRPF trooper Munir Khan, on J&Okay excessive courtroom’s orders this week after being escorted back to Jammu from the Attari border checkpoint in Punjab moments earlier than she was to be deported.
Her lawyer and BJP spokesperson Ankur Sharma mentioned Meenal, who married Munir in Jan and entered India on a vacationer visa legitimate until March 22, was eligible for a long-term visa by advantage of being an Indian citizen’s spouse.
Sharma mentioned Munir, who moved courtroom final Tuesday after his spouse obtained a deportation discover, didn’t breach service guidelines by marrying a Pakistani as he formally intimated the CRPF headquarters about it earlier than the marriage.
“Meenal’s long-term visa is under the ‘deemed granted’ category and on this basis, we filed a petition against her deportation,” he mentioned. “The court passed an interim order against her deportation and she returned from Attari on Wednesday. She was saved at the last moment.”
The newlyweds have been nearly settling in when the April 22 Pakistan-backed terrorist assault on vacationers in Pahalgam tore their lives asunder alongside with these of many others.
Lawyer Sharma cited a clarification from MHA that the order cancelling visas to Pakistanis wasn’t relevant to diplomatic and long-term visas.
“Meenal was interviewed and recommended a long-term visa before the deportation exercise triggered by the Pahalgam attack started,” he mentioned.
On whether or not a Islamic marriage solemnised on-line by a qazi was legally legitimate, the lawyer mentioned the Union govt recognised the marriage by issuing a visa to Meenal “as the wife of Munir Khan”.
While the excessive courtroom didn’t keep Meenal’s deportation, it mentioned she needs to be allowed to remain in Jammu till her visa standing was clear. The case shall be subsequent heard on May 14.
The courtroom mentioned the onus was on the Union govt to resolve whether or not a long-term visa needs to be issued to Munir’s spouse, additionally noting that her short-term visa had lapsed greater than a month in the past.