The minors – a girl aged 8, and two boys aged 4 and 3 – were represented by their mother Ramsha, an Indian citizen. (Express File Photo)
The Karnataka High Court on Thursday dismissed an application on behalf of three minors from Pakistan who sought to be allowed to stay in India till May 15 to attend the wedding of a relative.
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Dismissing the petition, the vacation bench of Justice M G Uma stated, “…in view of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam…the Cabinet Committee on Security has taken a decision to suspend various visas. Therefore, the Union of India, through the Cabinet Committee for Security, has taken the conscious decision to safeguard the interest of citizens in India. In such circumstances, I do not find any reason to interfere with the same, to pass a favourable order in favour of the petitioners.”
The minors – a girl aged 8, and two boys aged 4 and 3 – were represented by their mother Ramsha, an Indian citizen. The children, accompanied by their mother, had arrived in India with a visa valid until June. They were residing in Mysuru. Following the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 people were killed, the Centre had taken a slew of measures against Pakistan that included a directive instructing its citizens to leave India by the end of the month.
The petition, which was brought before the court earlier this week, stated that they had been unable to cross the Attari-Wagah border since it was closed on the Pakistani side, while their representation to the Mysuru Police Commissioner for visa extension was not considered.
The minors’ petition stated that they would leave India by May 15 after their aunt’s wedding on May 12.
The counsel representing the Centre pointed out that among the measures taken by India since the Pahalgam attack, Pakistani visas were immediately revoked, with the exception of long-term, medical, and diplomatic visas, with medical visas only lasting till April 29. The Centre also pointed out that the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO) had granted them exit permission.
The counsel for the minors, however, appealed for the extension to May 15 on humanitarian grounds, citing a similar case heard in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
