Within two months of arriving at her in-laws' home, a Pakistani bride was deported to her native country today in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Minal Khan, a Pakistani national who had married a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan eight months ago, was sent back from Jammu for deportation in accordance with directions from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Minal Khan, a resident of Kotli Fakir Chand in Sialkot, Pakistan, married Munir Ahmed, a CRPF constable from Handwal village in the Gharota area of Jammu, in July 2024 through an online ceremony.
Due to visa complications, Munir was unable to travel to Pakistan for the wedding. Instead, the couple solemnized their marriage virtually via video conferencing—an increasingly common practice in cross-border relationships.
Munir is currently posted with the 72nd Battalion of the CRPF at Shiv Khori Ransoo in Reasi district. Despite legal and logistical challenges, the couple went ahead with their union online, setting a modern precedent for cross-border marriages in conflict-sensitive regions.
Pakistani bride arrived in Jammu on 15-day permit
After nearly nine months of marriage, Minal Khan arrived in India on March 1 this year via the Wagah border in Amritsar, Punjab. She was granted a 15-day entry permit to visit her in-laws in Handwal village. Upon her arrival, Munir's family welcomed her warmly, stressing that all legal procedures had been followed.
Family members stated that Minal's visit was allowed only after receiving clearance from all relevant agencies. "She entered India strictly in accordance with legal protocols," a relative said, underlining the family's commitment to compliance amid heightened scrutiny.
Minal Khan's 15-day visa expired on March 14, but she had applied for an extension. Her request was under review by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
"I married him online," she said, urging the government to distinguish between cross-border marriages and other cases.
"We should be allowed to stay with our families," Minal Khan added.
She also condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, stating, "We strongly denounce the barbaric killing of innocents. The perpetrators must be punished severely."
India orders visa revocation for Pakistani nationals
Last week, India announced that all visas issued to Pakistani nationals—barring a few under special categories—will stand revoked as of April 27. Affected individuals were directed to leave the country by April 29.
Mehbooba Mufti, Tarigami raise concerns over deportation
As security agencies begin implementing the Union Home Ministry's directive to deport Pakistani citizens residing in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir, political voices in the Valley have expressed concern over the move.
People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami have opposed the deportation of individuals who came to Jammu and Kashmir under the 2010 rehabilitation policy and have since settled with local families.
Reacting to the move, Kulgam MLA M. Y. Tarigami wrote on X: "Deporting women from Pakistan and PoK who came to J&K after the government rolled out a rehabilitation policy in 2010 is inhumane. These women, married to local Kashmiri men, have built their lives here, raising families and living peacefully since their arrival."
The recent government directive to deport all Pakistani nationals from India has raised serious humanitarian concerns, particularly in Jammu & Kashmir. Many affected are women who came to India 30–40 years ago, married Indian citizens, raised families, and have long been part of…
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) April 29, 2025
Echoing the concern, former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also took to X, calling the government's directive "troubling."
"The recent government directive to deport all Pakistani nationals from India has raised serious humanitarian concerns, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. Many affected are women who came to India 30–40 years ago, married Indian citizens, raised families, and have long been part of our society. We urge the government to reconsider this decision and adopt a compassionate approach toward women, children, and the elderly. Deporting individuals who have lived peacefully in India for decades would not only be inhumane but would inflict deep emotional and physical distress on families who now know no other home," she wrote.
