Pak citizens told to leave Maharashtra within 48 hours or face action

Mumbai, April 25 (IANS) Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that the Pakistani citizens have been told to leave Maharashtra within 48 hours, failing which they will face action.

“The Indian government has decided to cancel the visas of Pakistani citizens. We have obtained the list of Pakistani citizens residing in Maharashtra. We have issued instructions to all police stations about them. Pakistani citizens have been told to leave the state within 48 hours. They should not stay in the state. We are monitoring their movements. We will soon deport them from the state. If these people do not leave within 48 hours, we will take action,” he told the reporters.

“I have held elaborate discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah with regard to the Central government's decision to cancel the visas of Pakistani citizens. Accordingly, the state government has issued instructions to Pakistani citizens to leave Maharashtra in 48 hours and those who will overstay the action will be taken against them,” he warned.

He clarified that “there is no sympathy towards Pakistani players and actors".

Fadnavis' announcement came after the Central government announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals and advised Indian nationals residing in Pakistan to return home at the earliest, especially after the escalation of tensions between the two countries over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists.

The Home Minister personally called up the Chief Ministers of all the states and asked them to ensure that no Pakistani citizens stay in India beyond the deadline.

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement, said: "In continuation of the decisions made by the Cabinet Committee on Security in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India has decided to suspend visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals stand revoked with effect from April 27, 2025.

"Medical visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be valid only till April 29, 2025. All Pakistani nationals currently in India must leave India before the expiry of visas, as now amended. Indian nationals are strongly advised to avoid travelling to Pakistan. Those Indian nationals currently in Pakistan are also advised to return to India at the earliest.”

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in a post on X, said: "Following the terror attack in Pahalgam, special flights are being arranged by the state government as per the instructions of the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to safely bring back tourists from Maharashtra. IndiGo's third special flight carrying 232 tourists will depart from Srinagar this afternoon and reach Mumbai in the evening. Yesterday, two special flights carrying 184 tourists reached Mumbai. Around 500 tourists have returned so far.”

The CMO has attached the list of 232 tourists arriving on Friday.

--IANS

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