Pakistan News: Sharda Kukreja, a 53-year-old woman born in Pakistan, has been living in Odisha's Bolangir district for the last 35 years after marrying an Indian citizen. On Saturday, she appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, asking not to be separated from her family. Police have issued her a notice to leave the country.
Two Children, Both Married
Sharda was born in Sukkur city of Sindh province in Pakistan. Fleeing forced religious conversion and pressure to marry a Muslim man, she escaped to India. She married Mahesh Kumar Kukreja in Bolangir and they have two married children - a son and a daughter.
Read Also: Pahalgam Update News: Bunker Cleanup Begins, Crops Being Harvested... Residents Near Border Fear War
Bolangir's Superintendent of Police, Abhilash G, shared with PTI that the administration has issued a notice for Sharda to leave the country 'as soon as possible'. The notice is exclusive to Sharda, not her husband or children. Regarding Sharda's claims about having an Aadhar card and voting in elections, the SP said, 'The notice was issued based on records. These claims will be investigated.'
Visas Cancelled Today
India announced on Thursday that all visas issued to Pakistani citizens will be canceled starting April 27, and they will be asked to leave the country. This decision followed increased tensions between the two nations after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in 26 fatalities, mostly tourists.
Read Also: Pahalgam Update: Some Visiting Weddings, Others Seeing Relatives... People Returning to Pakistan Speak Out
Escaped Pakistan in 1987 on a 60-Day Visa
Sharda explained that she fled Pakistan on a 60-day visa in 1987 with her siblings. All are now married and settled in India. 'Initially, we moved to Koraput district in Odisha and later settled in Bolangir after my marriage in 1990 when I was 18,' she recalled.
Still Holds Pakistani Passport
Despite her family enjoying Indian citizenship, Sharda still holds a Pakistani passport, technically making her a Pakistani citizen. She claimed, 'I have an Aadhar card and have voted in several elections. But technically, I'm not considered Indian.' Sharda hoped for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), although it has not yet been granted.
Read Also: Pahalgam: Hindu Refugees in Delhi Fear Expulsion as Pakistani Visas Canceled Starting Tomorrow
If Sent Back to Pakistan, Where Will I Go?
Fearing deportation and separation, Sharda has appealed to the PM and CM to not separate her from her husband and children. 'If the Indian government sends me back to Pakistan, where will I go, who will I meet? I have no one there. I have not returned nor spoken to anyone in Pakistan since 1987. I have no ties to the country that didn’t offer safety to me and my family,' she emotionally stated.
Choking with emotion, Sharda said living without her family was unimaginable. Her son, daughter, and grandchildren also refuse to let her go.
The Odisha government has identified 12 Pakistani nationals in the state, staying on long- and short-term visas, who have been asked to leave by April 27.
Married a Shopkeeper in 2008, Now Faces Return to Pakistan
Meanwhile, another Pakistani woman in Bhubaneshwar, married to a shopkeeper since 2008, learned on Saturday that her permit to leave India was approved by the police. Her long-term visa (LTV) expired in 2024, which led to a visitor visa application after rejection for visa extension. She applied for a permit to leave India in February.
Bhubaneshwar's DCP, Jagmohan Meena, stated, 'We have approved her permit to leave the country and issued a notice for her departure due to her Pakistani nationality. She is required to leave India by April 27.'
