Bhubaneswar: Acting on a nationwide directive from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Odisha government has begun the process of deporting 12 Pakistani nationals currently residing in the state. The decision comes in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which killed 26 people and injured several others.
The individuals in question have been living in Odisha on Long Term Visas (LTVs) for extended periods. According to officials, the Home Department is actively working on issuing formal notices, instructing them to leave India. This is part of a broader national effort to identify and repatriate Pakistani citizens residing in the country under various visa categories.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has assured full support to the Centre’s directive. State authorities are coordinating closely with central agencies to ensure smooth and timely implementation of the deportation orders.
The move follows a high-level decision by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which recently suspended all Indian visa services for Pakistani nationals. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that only LTVs granted to Hindu Pakistani nationals will remain valid, while all other visa categories were cancelled effective April 27. Medical visas are temporarily valid until April 29.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed all state governments to locate Pakistani nationals within their jurisdictions and expedite their departure. Simultaneously, Indian citizens have been advised to avoid travel to Pakistan. Those already in the country are urged to return at the earliest.
India has held Pakistan responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, citing intelligence and evidence of cross-border involvement. In a strong diplomatic measure, India has also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty—a major bilateral agreement regulating the use of the Indus River and its tributaries.
