Pakistani National in Goa Appeals Visa Revocation Amid Tensions

New Delhi, Jun 5 (PTI) — Amid rising tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, a Pakistani national who has been living in Goa since 2016 under a long-term visa approached the Supreme Court on Thursday. This comes after the central government issued a notification revoking the visas of Pakistani nationals in response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, predominantly tourists.

The government’s notification stipulated that all Pakistani nationals, except those specified, have their visas revoked and detailed a timeline for their deportation. The petitioner’s counsel presented the case for urgent hearing before a bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma.

"This case involves a Pakistani national who has been residing in Goa since 2016 on a long-term visa. The Government of India issued a notification after the Pahalgam attack," stated the counsel. In response, the bench remarked, "You go back."

While the counsel clarified that the petitioner intended to comply, he requested that the case be heard, citing specific conditions tied to the long-term visa. The bench was informed that the petitioner was born in India. However, the Supreme Court queried the counsel on the client’s decision to bypass the jurisdictional high court.

The counsel replied, citing police involvement, prompting the court to agree to list the matter for a hearing. In a similar context, the apex court, on May 2, directed authorities not to deport six family members to Pakistan for allegedly overstaying their visas until their citizenship claim is verified.