Pahalgam massacre: Attari turns centre of reunion

An emotional reunion for Pakistan national Savita took place as she finally crossed over to India along with her two minor children, Saysha and Revansh. She met her husband Rishi Kumar, who had been waiting for her arrival at Attari for the past five days.

While Tuesday was the last date for the exit of Pakistan citizens in India on medical visas, heartwarming scenes unfolded as the patients had to leave India with their treatment midway.

With this the uncertainty for Pakistan citizens on “no objection return to India” (NORI) visas who were touring Pakistan when travel restrictions were placed following the Pahalgam terror attack was resolved as the Indian government allowed them to enter India. It is for the first time after the Indian Government revoked visas of all Pakistan nationals that it allowed a special category of Pakistan citizens to enter India. The Ministry of External Affairs issues NORI certificates to Pakistan nationals on long-term visas (LTVs) in India for their brief visit to Pakistan. NORI certificates allow holders to return to India without any obligation after a brief foreign visit.

Hailing from Maharashtra’s Kolhapur, Rishi Kumar recalled that his presence for the past five days by camping at Attari paid off as his wife Savita Kumari, a Pakistan national, and their two minor kids Saysha and Revansh crossed over. They had arrived from Balochistan to Lahore on April 24 but were denied entry to India for Savita being Pakistan national. Savita is a long-term visa holder and is awaiting Indian nationality once she completes the mandatory period.

Saysha, a class V student and Revansh, a class III student, felt extremely bad at hearing the news of massacre of tourists at Pahalgam. They say they would love to narrate the story of the Pakistani kids they befriended during their brief stay in Pakistan and added that the memory of their grandfather’s house in Balochistan would inspire them to revisit it.

Another Indian national Dr Vikram Udasi, who hails from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district, heaved a sigh of relief as he met his wife Priya, a Pakistani national, close to the zero line. The couple’s four-year-old son, who has an Indian passport, was accompanying his mother. They took a flight to Mumbai to reach their native place.