Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday urged people in the city to help identify Pakistan nationals staying illegally in the Capital and inform the nearest police station without delay.
The appeal comes in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed earlier this week. India on Thursday announced revoking all visas (except Long Term Visas and Diplomatic and Official visas) issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27 as tensions between the two countries escalated.
As per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, all existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from April 27. Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till April 29.
In its statement on Saturday, Sood’s office underlined, “The Delhi government unequivocally shares the security concerns resulting from the illegal overstay of Pakistani nationals in Delhi. In consonance with the decisions of the Government of India, we had already advised Delhi Police to identify all Pakistani nationals who are illegally overstaying in the city, coordinate with other agencies concerned for their deportation.”
Quoting him, the statement added that he has appealed to people of the city to report Pakistan nationals overstaying in the city “without delay”.
According to sources, the Delhi Police Special Branch has been tasked to scan the records of Pakistani nationals staying in the national capital. The Special Branch will give the information to the local police. The local police will ensure that Pakistanis leave the Capital by April 29, they said.