Delhi: Playing cricket with the neighbourhood children, Jawahar Gupta hits the ball for another six that lands straight into the bed of the Yamuna river. It is the fourth ball they have lost to Gupta’s astounding barrage of cricketing masterclass. For him, the game has mostly become an escape from the grim realities that surround his family’s citizenship nightmares.
Now 30, the former Pakistani resident has become a full-fledged Indian citizen. Yet, a dire cloud of uncertainty still hangs over his family’s future. His wife, Gauri, who had arrived from Pakistan only two years ago, was forced to return following the diplomatic turbulence that has derailed India-Pakistan relations.
Her Long Term Visa (LTV) application is still pending ratification. The process has been delayed by nearly a year. For the past couple of years, the LTV had determined her stay in India. Now, owing to the current impasse, there seems to be no end in sight to the citizenship limbo. Following recent developments, Gauri was sent back to Pakistan, where she now waits to be recalled.
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Directive brings relief, but not for all
A recent directive issued on April 28 by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Jodhpur has brought significant relief to Pakistani nationals living in India, particularly those on long-term visas or awaiting their approval. The order applies not only to Jodhpur residents but also to Pakistani nationals residing across the country.
The decision came in the aftermath of the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 people and injured at least 20 others in Baisaran Valley.
According to the note, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) clarified that Pakistani nationals currently residing in India on valid long-term visas are not required to leave the country. This announcement has come as a major relief to many families concerned about their legal status.
In Jodhpur, those whose LTVs have expired have been asked to visit the local FRRO office to get their visas extended after completing the necessary formalities. Pakistani nationals who have already applied for LTVs and whose cases are still under process will not be deported either. The authorities acknowledged that delays are expected due to the time required for background verifications.
Moreover, eligible Pakistani citizens who have not yet applied for LTVs are being urged to do so with proper documentation. Those whose passports have expired and who have not registered with Indian authorities are advised to approach their local Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) and submit documents for the authorities to seek guidance from the state government and the MHA.
Gauri remains stranded across the border
However, Gauri was deported before the directive came into effect. With limited funds at hand, there seems to be no way for her to return to India.
“I barely make enough to enable her return to Delhi. My situation is such that I cannot go to the Attari border to collect her myself. I have requested the government for some help but nothing as such has come about,” Gupta said.
He currently runs a small grocery shop that mostly serves the residents of the Majnu Ka Tilla shanty town. On rare occasions, a random passer-by who has strayed from the main road towards the monastery market may stop by. Sometimes, such visitors purchase a bottle of water, bringing in a modest sale. However, these incidents are too infrequent to provide any consistent income.
Gupta earns just over Rs 300 a day—Rs 500 on a good day. Rescuing his wife from the border seems like a distant dream.
“I barely make enough for our sustenance. Now to ensure that I collect her from the border, or even pay for a bus ride back to Delhi is in itself an extremely difficult task. But I am saving up—hopefully someday soon I will be able to arrange something for her safe return,” the 30-year-old said.
Others in the community share a similar fate
Gupta’s story is not the only one. Another family living in the same slum cluster is also facing the consequences of the ongoing uncertainty.
Shobit Das, originally from Pakistan, received Indian citizenship alongside his wife in 2024. His children have been issued Aadhaar cards, and his eldest son has already applied for a Voter ID. “They have said that we will get it very soon,” Das said proudly.
But celebrations are limited to his immediate family. His cousin, Parveen, has not secured citizenship for his own family. Parveen, who had lived in a Pakistani Hindu neighbourhood in Delhi for six years, was deported after his LTV expired and he failed to apply for citizenship.
His entire family is now stranded at the Attari-Wagah border, staying at a boarding house. “The entire family is very worried about their future. They want to return to India and be near us in Delhi, but because of such enmity between the two countries we are being affected in the crossfire,” Das said.
“I do not know how my brother and his family will return—or if at all he will return. I think he has some money to secure a bus ride for himself, but what about his family?”
According to Das, Parveen has taken up a couple of odd jobs near the border to save enough money for the family’s return to India.
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Pending visa renewals and fear of deportation
It is not just those who have been deported who are suffering—others with pending LTVs also remain in fear of deportation.
Shri Ram, formerly a resident of Karachi, has lived in Delhi for the past four years. His LTV renewal application has been stuck at the FRRO.
“There is some uncertainty but I am holding onto the hope of getting my LTV renewed. It’s stuck at background verification at the moment, and it might just take longer,” Ram said. He had applied for renewal over a year ago.
Likewise, Kirodi, a mother of two infants, has lived in the Majnu Ka Tilla settlement for the past nine years. Without proof of citizenship, her presence remains legally uncertain.
“I know that the moment they deport me off, there will remain uncertainty of my return. My husband will figure some way out, or he might return with us to Pakistan. There is no surety. Thankfully, my LTV is still valid for some time now,” she said.
Citizenship granted to some, but many wait
On March 11, the Centre granted Indian citizenship to 186 Pakistani Hindus under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. However, many others are still awaiting similar relief.
After the suspension of visa approvals, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly spoke to the chief ministers of all states, directing them to ensure that no Pakistani national stays in India beyond the revised deadline of April 30.
