Pakistan refuses to accept citizens, leaves them stranded at border
What's the story
Pakistan has refused to accept its citizens who are being sent back from India, leaving them stranded at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab. According to Republic TV, Pakistan has shut down its receiving counters since 8:00am on Thursday, leaving scores of Pakistani people trapped at the border. Hundreds have flocked to the border after India asked Pakistani nationals to leave the country by April 30.
Impact
Border closure leaves citizens in limbo
With the border shut, no crossings took place between the two countries on Thursday, sources told PTI. Two Indian sisters married in Pakistan vented their frustration over the unexpected border closure, telling mediapersons, "Somebody, please make me cross the border. I have to go to my child. What is our fault? Those who are separating us from our children, I pray they are separated from their children."
Twitter Post
Visuals from the Attari checkpost
#WATCH | Visuals from the Attari Integrated checkpost in Punjab's Amritsar, where several Pakistani citizens have arrived to cross the border pic.twitter.com/X44zqxAfVf
— ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2025
Public outcry
Pakistani citizens express frustration over border closure
Another sister lamented, "Which law separates parents from their children? My children are crying there; I have to go there." Mohammad Shariq, whose sisters are married in Karachi, shared his ordeal with ANI. "I came here with my sisters at 6am. The border opens at 10am. At 11am we asked the officials, and they said our government has given the order and we are sending people from here."
Border statistics
Recent border crossings and government response
Since the Indian government issued the quit notice to Pakistanis, 911 have crossed over. On Wednesday, 125 Pakistani nationals departed from India through the Attari-Wagah border. In a relief for Pakistani nationals, the Indian government on Thursday allowed them to return via the Attari-Wagah border until further orders.