Children separated from mothers, tears at Attari-Wagah as India exit deadline looms

Hundreds of Pakistani nationals continued to leave India through the Attari-Wagah land border point on Sunday amid strain in bilateral tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours over the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

The Centre asked Pakistani nationals visiting India on a SAARC visa to leave by April 26, while the rest should exit on April 27. Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals are valid till April 29.

The 12 categories of visas whose holders have to leave India by Sunday are – visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim and group pilgrim. Those staying beyond new limits will face legal action under the newly enacted Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.

Vehicles queued up near the Attari border in Amritsar district as hundreds of Indian citizens came to send off their Pakistani relatives. Around 272 Pakistani nationals have left India, while as many as 629 Indians, including 13 diplomats and officials, have returned from Pakistan, PTI news agency reported.

Children separated from mothers

Anxiety gripped family members as they were not sure when will they be able to see their loved ones after they leave India.

"My mother's an Indian and she is not being allowed to accompany us to Pakistan. They (the authorities at Attari) are telling us they will not allow my mother to go along. My parents got married in 1991. They are saying Indian passport holders will not be allowed," PTI quoted Sarita, a Pakistani national. Her brother and father are also Pakistani citizens.

A 11-year-old girl, Zainab, was among those leaving the country. "Very difficult to leave my mother behind. My heart is broken," said the child, a Pakistani citizen.

A man from Jaisalmer said that his Pakistani kins are rushing to leave the country after arriving on a short-term visa. "They came from Pakistan's Amarkot on April 15 with a 45-day visa. No one knew the situation would turn out to be like this. They did not get time to meet all their relatives," he said.

Janam Raj (70), a Hindu man from Peshawar regretted how his first visit to India to meet his relatives has turned out.

Gurbax Singh, a Pakistani citizen from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, regretted how innocent civilians like him bear the brunt for crimes committed by terrorists.

"Half of my extended family, including my cousins, live in India. What happened in Pahalgam is utterly reprehensible. They (terrorists) murdered humanity, but look who has to bear the brunt. There were many Pakistanis who were visiting India for medical treatment, but now all have to rush back," he said.