Seema Haider’s Future Uncertain as India Cracks Down on Pakistani Nationals Post-Pahalgam Attack

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New Delhi: In a sharp escalation of diplomatic tensions following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, India has announced sweeping retaliatory measures against Pakistan — including the cancellation of visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme and a directive for all Pakistani nationals to leave the country by the end of April. Caught in the crosshairs of this crackdown is Seema Haider, the Pakistani woman who crossed borders for love and now faces a fresh wave of uncertainty.

Seema made headlines in 2023 when she illegally entered India via Nepal to marry Sachin Meena, a resident of Greater Noida. The couple has since had a daughter, Bharti Meena, born on Indian soil. But with the government’s new directive in force, Seema’s stay in India is once again under intense legal and political scrutiny.

Seema’s legal counsel, Advocate AP Singh, has asserted that the directive should not apply to her. He argues that Seema no longer holds Pakistani citizenship by virtue of her marriage to an Indian citizen and her recent childbirth. Her case is also under investigation by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which makes it distinct from the broader group of Pakistani citizens currently residing in India.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has taken multiple diplomatic and strategic steps. At a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, it was decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, pending credible action by Pakistan against cross-border terrorism. India also ordered the immediate closure of the integrated Attari Check Post, a key trade and travel link.

Adding to the diplomatic fallout, India declared Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors at the Pakistani High Commission as Persona Non Grata, ordering them to leave the country within a week. In parallel, India is withdrawing its own Defence and Service Advisors from the High Commission in Islamabad, effectively downgrading official military communication channels.

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