Following India’s strict visa restrictions on Pakistani citizens post-Pahalgam attack, Sadia Alvi, stuck in India with her Pakistani son, appeals to the government to let her return to Karachi
NEW DELHI — The government has adopted stern measures against Pakistan, including suspending visas for Pakistani nationals, after the militant attack in Pahalgam in South Kashmir. While these measures are framed as necessary for national security, they are now having a painful impact on innocent people caught in the middle of this political conflict.
One such person is Sadia Alvi, a resident of Delhi, who is facing distress and uncertainty as the government orders all Pakistanis living in India to return to their country. Sadia, who holds an Indian passport but is married to a Pakistani and has a five-year-old son with Pakistani citizenship, has found herself in a dire situation.
“I am in India with my son, but my visa has expired. My son has a Pakistani passport, so how can he go to Pakistan alone?” Sadia told Clarion India in a heartfelt conversation. Her son Azaan, just five years old, had come to India to visit his maternal grandparents but now wishes to return home to Karachi.
Sadia explained that after her marriage, she had moved to Karachi and made Pakistan her home. However, she is currently in India, staying with her mother. She has sought help from the Pakistani embassy, but it has been closed amid diplomatic tensions. “My mother-in-law is unwell and cannot travel. I am worried and confused. I ask the government to allow me to take my son back to Pakistan safely,” she pleaded.
This story highlights a seldom-seen human side of the otherwise political headlines. The government’s decision, announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, is a response to national security concerns following the attack in Pahalgam. The government has not only suspended visa services for Pakistani citizens but has also severed diplomatic ties, cancelled the Indus Water Treaty, and asked Indian officials in Pakistan to return home within a week.
While these decisions are often applauded by political groups aligned with Hindutva ideologies, they also reveal a disregard for the plight of ordinary Muslims who are caught between two hostile governments. The selective approach is evident as visa restrictions do not apply to long-term visa holders from the Hindu community in Pakistan, raising uncomfortable questions about discrimination based on religion.
Community leaders and activists have expressed concerns over the government’s hardline approach. “We support India’s right to security, but these policies should not punish innocent families,” said Ayesha Siddiqui, a social worker in Delhi who works closely with Muslim families. “Sadia’s story is tragic, but it is the reality for many who are stuck because of political hostility. We must demand compassion, not just harsh measures.”
The story of Sadia and her young son is a reminder that behind every political headline, real people’s lives are affected. The government must consider humanitarian grounds and allow people like Sadia to reunite with their families without unnecessary hurdles.
Sadia’s appeal is not just for herself but for thousands of Indian Muslims with family ties across the border, caught in the crossfire of aggressive nationalist policies.
