Pakistanis In India Seek Centre's Help To Return As April 30 Deadline Ends: WATCH

Several Pakistani citizens are still present at the Attari-Wagah border, hoping to return to their country even as the April 30 deadline set by the Indian government ended on Wednesday. Some of them requested the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to intervene in the matter and help them return to their homes.

The Indian government had set a deadline of April 30 for Pakistani nationals to return to their country, which has now passed. 

Amongst those awaiting their return to Pakistan is a 16-member family from Rahimyar district in the country's Punjab province. One of the family members Bilal told news agency IANS: "A Pakistani citizen informed us that we came to India to immerse our father's ashes. We are 16 people with a two-month visa. We request the government to help us return home."

Punjab: The Indian government had set a deadline of April 30 for Pakistani nationals to return to their country, which has now passed. However, several Pakistani citizens, hoping to return, were still present at the Attari-Wagah border on the morning of May 1. A 16-member family… pic.twitter.com/YR24pUzxB3

— IANS (@ians_india) May 1, 2025

Another woman, who was also present at the Attari border, requested the central government to help her return to Pakistan with her children. The woman, an Indian passport holder, has her family and children in Karachi, and was looking forward to returning to Pakistan today.

Condemning the Pahalgam terror attack, which led the Indian government to take this decision, the woman questioned why cross-border families were being separated.  "Those who did this attack should be severely punished. But what is our fault in this? Why are our families being separated? Who will talk about what is happening with cross-border families?

I appeal to the government to let me go to Pakistan with my children. I am a half-Pakistani national. I obtained the Pakistani visa yesterday," she told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Attari, Amritsar | An Indian passport holder who has her family and children in Karachi, seeks to return to Pakistan today

She says, "Those who did this attack should be severely punished. But what is our fault in this? Why are our families being separated? Who will… pic.twitter.com/I0BeRBcXhw

— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2025

A Pakistani woman returning to her country via Attari Border expressed disappointment over the Indian government's decision regarding their return. She condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, but questioned "what wrong have we done that we are given such a strict punishment?"

"I have three children, all of whom have studied here.What wrong have we done that we are given such a strict punishment?...We condemn the Pahalgam terror attack. They should be punished, but why are we suffering because of this?" Parween Akhtar, whose family has been living in India for the past 40 years said.

#WATCH | Attari, Punjab: Parween Akhtar, a Pakistani national returning to Pakistan via Attari Border, says, "It has been 40 years since I have been in India. I have three children, all of whom have studied here. What wrong have we done that we are given such a strict… pic.twitter.com/CZ4mxb8xAe

— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2025

Meanwhile, India, too closed its airspace to all flights owned and operated by Pakistan amid escalating tensions between the two countries in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. This will be effective till May 23. Pakistan had also shut its airspace for all Indian aircraft six days ago, in response to India's measures in the aftermath of the terror attack.

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