After the Pahalgam terror attack, India acted decisively against Pakistan by suspending the Indus Water Treaty and ordering Pakistani citizens to leave the country. Yet, in a gesture of goodwill, India has extended the return deadline for Pakistani nationals crossing the Attari Border until further notice.
This decision provided respite for many who found themselves caught at the border, unable to return by the previous deadlines set after the Pahalgam incident. It highlights India's humanitarian stance, but Pakistan seems unchanged in its provocations.
Meanwhile, the gate remains closed on the Pakistani side of the Wagah Border, leaving throngs of citizens unable to exit India. They set out to return home through the Attari Border but are left waiting, bathed in relentless sunlight on the roadways.
Source: aajtak
From Pilgrimages to Family Visits, Reasons to Return Home
Our team engaged with several Pakistanis stranded at the border. Suraj, a Quetta native, explained his visit stemmed from a religious pilgrimage; he escorted his mother to India's sacred Ganges River for a holy dip on April 15. While the Indian government directed all Pakistani citizens to head home, the closed gates leave him stuck.
Harsh from Karachi shared that his visit was to see his grandparents, whose health had deteriorated. Following government orders, he arrived at the border at 8:30 AM, only to find it sealed, with no passage home in the punishing heat, bereft of food and water, creating distress and uncertainty about the unfolding circumstances.
Speculation Rises: Pakistan's Intentional Border Games
The delay in crossing the border at the Attari point has left Pakistani citizens anxiously waiting for gate relief. With limited provisions, languishing under the open sky, many speculate that Pakistan deliberately engineers these situations to heighten bilateral tension. Indian authorities persist in urging dialogue with their Pakistani counterparts to seek resolution.
