The development comes amid rising diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad in wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists.
A Bengaluru-based man born in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) had moved the Supreme Court against the deportation of his family claiming they were Indian nationals holding Indian passports and Aadhar cards. The apex court on Friday stayed the deportation of the family of six and asked authorities to not take coercive action such as deportation to Pakistan. The family was alleged to have overstayed their visa till an order on verification of their identity documents.
The development comes amid rising diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad in wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists.
After considering submissions from both the counsel and the petitioner, the bench instructed government authorities to examine the family members’ documents to determine the validity of their Indian citizenship.
Noting the humanitarian aspect of the case, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh granted the family the liberty to approach the Jammu and Kashmir High Court if they are dissatisfied with the document verification process.
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition filed by Ahmed Tarek Butt and his five family members, who alleged they were detained and taken to the Wagah border for deportation to Pakistan despite holding valid Indian documents.
The bench also observed that, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre had issued a notification on April 25 revoking the visas of Pakistani nationals—except for certain categories mentioned in the order—and outlined specific deadlines for their deportation.
“All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from 27 April 2025. Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till 29 April 2025. All Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave India before the expiry of visas, as now amended,” the Centre had said in it directive on the revocation of visas for Pakistani nationals.
