After the Centre directed states to identify and ensure the prompt return of Pakistani citizens who have come to India under different visa categories, the Madhya Pradesh Police is in a fix over the status of children born to Indian mothers and Pakistani fathers.
Police have uncovered at least nine cases of children with Indian mothers and Pakistani fathers in (4), Jabalpur (3), and Indore (2), and are seeking guidance from the Centre on how to move forward.
In Bhopal, the cases include two minor children of an Indian mother. Bhopal Police Commissioner H C Mishra said three-four families in the city have been asked to leave. “We have encountered cases of children born to such couples and will seek the Centre’s guidelines,” Mishra told .
In Jabalpur, an Indian woman married to a Pakistani national, accompanied by three children, was identified during a passport renewal visit. She is expected to return to Pakistan later.
A senior police officer emphasised that minor children cannot be forcibly deported and that clarifications are being sought. “Since they are minors, we need to seek clear guidelines on what to do with such cases. We expect more such cases to turn up across the state,” the officer said.
At least 14 persons in Madhya Pradesh, including these nine children, were supposed to leave the country.
“Of them, three have left India and reached Pakistan. One is in due to some issue that is being looked into by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office,” the officer said.
The ‘Leave India’ notice to the Pakistani nationals was issued by the Centre after 26 people were killed in a on April 22.
The deadline for exiting India for those holding SAARC visas was April 26. For those carrying medical visas, the deadline is April 29. The 12 categories of visas whose holders have to leave India by Sunday are — visa on arrival, business, film, journalist, transit, conference, mountaineering, student, visitor, group tourist, pilgrim and group pilgrim.
