Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday urged the government to reconsider the decision to deport Pakistani citizens who are married to Indians and have been living here for many years She said a compassionate approach needs to be adopted.
"The recent government directive to deport all Pakistani nationals from India has raised serious humanitarian concerns, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. Many affected are women who came to India 30-40 years ago, married Indian citizens, raised families and have long been part of our society," Mufti said in a post on X.
She said deporting individuals who have lived peacefully in India for decades would be inhumane and would inflict deep emotional distress on the families.
"We urge the government to reconsider this decision and adopt a compassionate approach regarding women, children and elderly. Deporting individuals who have lived peacefully in India for decades would not only be inhumane but also would inflict deep emotional and physical distress on families who now know no other home," she said.
Several Pakistani women married to ex-militants came to Kashmir in 2013 under the then-chief minister Omar Abdullah's policy that enabled the rehabilitation of ultras who had gone to Pakistan or Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir for arms training but abjured violence and wished to return to the Valley.
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