Pakistan to allow stranded citizens in India return via Wagah border after visa revocations

Islamabad | Pakistan on Friday announced that it would continue to allow the use of the Wagah border crossing for its citizens stranded in India, following New Delhi's decision to revoke visas in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror incident.

The Attari-Wagah border, located near Amritsar in India and Lahore in Pakistan, was shut on Thursday after being kept open till April 30.

As many as 70 Pakistani nationals were reportedly stranded at the border on Thursday, as the deadline for leaving India expired a day earlier.

Responding to media queries, the spokesperson for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) acknowledged reports of Pakistani nationals, including children, stranded at the Attari border on the Indian side.

"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 remain open for Pakistani nationals seeking to return in the future as well, the spokesperson said.

The Foreign Office also criticised India's decision 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 said last month.