India Suspends Visa Services for Pakistani Nationals in Response to Pahalgam Terror Attack: Seema Haider Faces Uncertain Future
Noida | 26 April 2025
In a significant move following a recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India has suspended all visa services for Pakistani nationals. The decision, announced on Wednesday after a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes as part of India’s retaliatory measures against the attack that claimed the lives of several Indian soldiers.
Effective from 27 April, all existing visas for Pakistani citizens will be cancelled, with the exception of medical visas, which will remain valid until 29 April. Pakistani nationals already in India have been instructed to leave before their visa expires. This step signals a hardening of India’s diplomatic stance and underscores the government’s firm resolve in the wake of recent terror activities.
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Among those affected by this decision is Seema Haider, a Pakistani national who crossed into India illegally from Pakistan in 2023 to marry her Indian partner. Seema now lives in Greater Noida with her husband and newborn daughter. As India suspends visas for Pakistani nationals, Seema faces the prospect of deportation, as her stay in India has been under the radar since her illegal entry.
In an emotional video appeal to Prime Minister Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Seema has urged the Indian government to allow her to stay in India. “My citizenship is now tied to my Indian husband. I no longer belong to Pakistan. My daughter is Indian, and I wish to remain with my family here,” she stated, as she expressed her deep distress over the potential consequences of India’s visa suspension.
Seema’s journey, which began in Karachi, Pakistan, has been a complex and difficult one. Crossing borders illegally to be with her Indian partner, she had hoped for a peaceful life in India. However, the recent policy shift puts her future in jeopardy, as she now finds herself caught between national borders, legal uncertainties, and the deep emotional ties to her new life in India.
The suspension of Pakistani visas is part of a broader set of retaliatory measures following the Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a firm directive regarding the matter, indicating that diplomatic relations are under severe strain as a result of the ongoing security concerns in the region.
Seema’s case has brought attention to the challenges faced by individuals who find themselves caught in complex political and legal situations. As India and Pakistan continue to navigate their tense relationship, the human stories behind the headlines, like Seema’s, serve as poignant reminders of the personal struggles that arise from geopolitical conflicts.
While Seema’s future remains uncertain, her story reflects the broader emotional and political complexities of the India-Pakistan relationship and the deep impact of policy decisions on individual lives.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Seema will be allowed to stay with her family in India or whether her journey will take another unexpected turn.
