Border Crossings Amid Tensions: A Human Story

Amid heightened tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack, Abdul Waheed, a Pakistani national living in India for 17 years, died while awaiting repatriation. Meanwhile, 224 Indian and Pakistani nationals with visas crossed borders. Monika Rajani, a Pakistani Hindu, moved to India amid fears of border closure.

A 69-year-old Pakistani national, Abdul Waheed, passed away due to cardiac arrest in India during the process of repatriation. Authorities from Jammu and Kashmir had brought him from Srinagar after discovering an expired visa. Waheed had been residing in India for 17 years.

Concurrently, the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari saw 224 individuals cross the border. Among them were Indian and Pakistani nationals holding No Obligation to Return to India (NORI) visas. Notably, Monika Rajani, a 35-year-old Pakistani passport holder with a Hindu background, crossed into India amid worries that border operations might soon cease.

Recent actions by the Center, a response to the Pahalgam terror attack, include the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and expulsion threats to Pakistanis on short-term visas. These developments highlight the sensitive relations between India and Pakistan, affecting citizens on both sides.

(With inputs from agencies.)