A major diplomatic standoff has erupted at the Attari-Wagah border after Pakistan refused to accept the repatriation of its own citizens from India. Indian immigration officials confirmed that Pakistan shut its receiving counters at 8:00 am today, leaving dozens of Pakistani nationals stranded at the border.
Sources reveal that the stranded Pakistani citizens, including elderly people, women, and children are now left in limbo without shelter, food, or any clarity on their situation. Security at the Attari post has been tightened amid growing concern over Pakistan’s sudden and unexplained refusal to receive its nationals.
The incident has sparked strong reactions across social media, with many users branding it a national embarrassment for Pakistan.
In contrast to Pakistan's position, the Indian government has permitted Pakistani citizens to return home through the Attari-Wagah border until further notice. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a revised order, modifying its earlier directive that had called for the border's closure starting April 30.
For those unaware, hundreds of Pakistani nationals had crossed the border on the last day of the earlier deadline, issued after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives. The large-scale cancellation of visas for Pakistani citizens was part of India’s firm response to the attack, widely denounced as an act of cross-border terrorism.
Within a week of the Centre’s directive, nearly 800 Pakistani nationals, including 55 diplomats and their support staff, exited India via the Attari-Wagah border. During the same period, around 1,500 Indian citizens returned from Pakistan.
In a concerted effort to enforce the government's directive, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to all state chief ministers last week, directing them to ensure no Pakistani national overstayed beyond the specified deadlines.
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