After 21 years, family from Pakistan residing in Jalandhar takes oath of Indian citizenship

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Jalandhar, March 25

After a long struggle to get the Indian citizenship, a Pakistani family residing in Jalandhar for the past 21 years was finally administered oath of citizenship on Friday.

The oath was administered by Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori at the District Administrative Complex, but the citizen certificate is to be issued later after completion of all formalities. The three members of the family who have got the Indian citizenship are Gopal Chand, his brother Gurdial Chand and Gurdial’s wife Sheelawanti. They had come here from Sialkot and had been living in Basti Gujan since 2001.

Both brothers work on the top posts in the editorial section of Urdu daily ‘Hind Samachar’ here. Gopal Chand said, “It was since 2006 that we had started applying for the Indian citizenship. There are around 150-200 more families from Pakistan who are living in Jalandhar and had been seeking citizenship since long. It was around six months back that there was a change of rule. We were told that we could apply at indiancitizenshiponline.nic.in and the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, had been authorised to handle our case. We applied and managed to complete all formalities in time. We provided all evidences of our 21 years of stay in Jalandhar. The police and intelligence reports were also taken which went in our favour. Today was a big day for us as we took the oath as Indians,” he beamed.

Gopal Chand said once they would get the certificate which could take a few more days, they would be eligible to apply for the citizenship of their children as well.

The DC said nine more cases of Indian citizenship filed by Pakistani refugees were under consideration. Regarding the approved case of Friday, he said: “We will issue them 12A form and they will give an affidavit regarding leaving Pakistani citizenship after which the Indian citizenship certificate will be issued.”