New Delhi: The Indian government on Thursday modified its order saying that Pakistani nationals living in the country should leave by April 30. The new directive says that they can now leave via the Wagah-Attari border till further orders. Earlier the Home Ministry had said that the international border would be closed by April 30.
Pakistan closes borders
As of Thursday morning several Pakistani nationals were sitting and waiting inside vehicles on the Indian side of the border. This is because Pakistan has not opened its gates to allow its citizens into the country. Once the gates are opened by Pakistan, the BSF will check the documents of all the passengers and then they will be allowed to go to Pakistan. Once they clear immigration, they will be allowed to enter Pakistan. Since morning, not even a single Pakistan national has been allowed into the country.
Meanwhile the Indian government in its order allowing Pakistanis to stay a little longer in India said, “The order has been reviewed and, in partial modification, it is now ordered that Pakistani nationals may be allowed to exit India to go into Pakistan from the Integrated Check Post at Attari till further orders, with due clearance.”
The modification in the order by the Indian government brought relief to several people from the neighbouring country who are stranded on the border. In just 6 days since India ordered Pakistan nationals to leave, as many as 786 of them have crossed over into the neighbouring country. Of these 55 were diplomats and support staff. Indians are also leaving Pakistan and as many as 1,465 Indians have returned to India after the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
The tensions between the 2 countries started after terrorists fired at and killed 26 people in the picturesque location of Pahalgam on April 22. India has blamed Pakistan-based terrorists for the attack. The Union Home Minister had called up Chief Ministers of all states and asked them to ensure that no Pakistani national stays back in their states.
Apart from pushing out Pakistan nationals from the country, India also suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan. They warned their neighbour that they will have to stop export of terrorism for relations to normalise.
