Long-term visa application of Pakistani woman to be decided within 3 weeks: HC

Amidst cross-border tensions, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the competent authority at the Centre to decide within three weeks the application of a Pakistani woman seeking a long-term visa to stay in India with her husband.

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The couple, who had solemnised marriage in India, was caught in a maze of paperwork, with their future hanging in limbo. The woman’s husband, Sonu Masih, under the circumstances approached the court through counsel Jatinder Singh Gill, alleging that “indolent and lackadaisical approach” by the authorities concerned in processing her application pending since July 2024.

In his petition placed before Justice Kuldeep Tiwari’s bench, the husband was seeking directions to the Union of India and other respondents to consider application dated July 11 last year submitted by his wife for grant of long term visa “and to decide the same most expeditiously”.

Referring to the contentions raised in the petition, Justice Tiwari observed: “Now indolent and lackadaisical approach of the competent respondent amongst the respondents in not deciding his application propelled him to file the instant petition for seeking mandamus upon the authority concerned”. As the matter came up for hearing, Justice Tiwari issued notice of motion to the respondents, which was accepted by advocate Saigeeta Srivastava while assisting Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain. He, in turn, submitted that he would have no objection in case the high court passes a direction for deciding the application in the time-bound manner.

“At this stage, this court deems it apt to dispose of the instant petition with a mandamus upon competent respondent, amongst the respondents, to consider the application and make an endeavour to decide the same within three weeks from passing of the order,” Justice Tiwari concluded.