Identify Pakistani nationals and send them back: Home Minister tells Chief Ministers

New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) Days after the Modi government announced diplomatic measures against Pakistan over the gruesome terror attack in J&K's Pahalgam, Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asked all the Chief Ministers to identify all Pakistani nationals staying in their states and take necessary steps for their deportation.

As per reports, the Home Minister spoke to all the Chief Ministers, instructing them to act against the Pakistani nationals and facilitate their return immediately.

The government on Wednesday said that the visas of all Pakistani nationals stand cancelled and they have been given time to abide by the directive by April 27.

Notably, the visa ban on Pak nationals comes close on the heels of a five-step diplomatic offensive against Pakistan, following despicable and deadly terror attacks in Baisaran meadows of J&K’s Pahalgam, which led to the brutal killing of 26 tourists.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in its official announcement, said that all valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals will be revoked starting April 27. However, it stated that medical visas granted to Pakistani citizens will remain valid only until April 29.

Meanwhile, the government has in no uncertain terms pinned the blame on Pakistan for orchestrating the terror attack on civilians, the worst-ever in recent memory, and has also plans to ‘expose’ it on the international stage as well.

A five-point action plan was taken following the CCS meet, which included suspension of the Indus water treaty, closure of the Attari-Wagah border, declaring the defence advisors as persona non-grata and severely curtailing the mission staff on both sides.

On April 22, twenty-six people, including one Nepali national, were brutally gunned down by the heavily armed terrorists in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows as they unleashed carnage on tourists and travellers.

Disturbing visuals, shared on social media, showed them armed with sophisticated weapons while survivors recalled harrowing moments of how they singled out men and shot them from point-blank range.

--IANS

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