Pakistan finally opens Wagah gate, over 20 cross over
India, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, had ordered all Pakistani nationals visiting the country to return home. But the process was anything but smooth. On Thursday, Pakistan abruptly refused entry even to its own citizens, stranding several at the border. The move triggered confusion and anxiety among those waiting to cross.
On Friday, several women holding Indian passports but married in Pakistan were turned back by Indian immigration authorities.
Officials at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Attari cited govt directives barring Indian citizens, including those married abroad, from exiting the country under the current security condition.
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Khalida, a Delhi resident, recounted how her sister-in-law from Karachi was permitted to cross the border, but her one-year-old son—an Indian passport holder—was not. "Even though the Pakistan high commission issued him a visa, we were told he couldn't go. Either both of them go or none. This is injustice," she said.
Raees Ahmad faced a similar ordeal. His sister, an Indian citizen who has lived in Pakistan for four years after marriage, was again denied exit. "This is our third trip to the border. Last night, we stayed until 9pm. They said people with NORI visas were allowed earlier, but not anymore," he said.
With no official word on when normal movement will resume or clarity on visa protocol, the humanitarian and diplomatic stalemate continues. The border may have reopened momentarily—but trust and cooperation remain firmly shut.
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