Pak nationals married to Indian citizens have no right to stay in India: J&K BJP

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of BJP on Saturday welcomed the Centre's decision to deport Pakistani nationals in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, saying "they have no right to stay in the country even if they are married to Indian citizens".

J&K BJP's chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi said such individuals may be potential “sleeper cells”, and there is a possibility that some of them have been planted by Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as part of a “nefarious” design.

Sethi’s remarks came even as his party colleague and advocate Ankur Sharma legally aided Minal Khan, the Pakistani wife of CRPF trooper Munir Khan from Jammu, from getting deported at the last minute on Wednesday. The Pakistani woman, who entered into wedlock with the trooper last May, came to Jammu on February 28 on a short-term visa, which expired on March 22, before applying for a long-term visa (LTV).

Official sources said the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday dismissed Munir Ahmed from service for "concealing" his marriage with the Pakistani woman after finding his action “detrimental” to national security.

“Whatever may be the circumstances or justifications, these overstaying Pakistanis, even if they have matrimonial ties with Indian citizens, have no right to stay in India, nor do they have a right to claim LTV merely on this emotional ground,” Sethi, also a lawyer by profession, said.

Minal returned to Jammu after the high court granted her interim relief by staying her deportation when she was about to return to her country through the Attari border in Amritsar.

Questioning the support to Pakistani nationals, Sethi said, “Pleading their claims for political gains or sympathy is fraught with the danger of playing with the security of the nation.” While leaving Jammu on Tuesday, Minal termed her deportation “injustice”, saying they had nothing to do with the Pahalgam terror attack.

The BJP spokesperson, however, claimed that incidents like Pahalgam cannot happen without local support, suggesting the possible involvement of some local people.

However, Sethi also said the majority of Kashmiris strongly opposed the terror strike and extended help to the victims and their families during the attack on April 22 that left 26 people, mostly holidayers from other states, dead.

“For the first time, the whole of Kashmir stood as ‘one voice’ against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, proving that Kashmir has moved away from the politics of terror post-2019 (when Article 370 was abrogated). Now a common Kashmiri has the courage and commitment to stand up against the terrorists and their masterminds,” Sethi claimed.

Welcoming the Centre’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 with Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack, Sethi said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had been long awaiting this move, which will “enable better use of river water for regional development”.

He also criticised the historic Simla Accord of 1972 between India and Pakistan, saying it worked against India’s strategic interests despite the country’s advantageous position post the 1971 war.

“India believes that terrorism cannot be eradicated until its root causes and infrastructure are dismantled. Pakistan, plagued by its policy of supporting terrorism, is now facing an internal crisis. In contrast, the Indian government enjoys support from all quarters, including the opposition, on matters of national security,” Sethi said.

Stating that the international community has also come forward in support of India in its fight against terrorism, the BJP leade said, “The Indian government and the armed forces are fully capable of ensuring the safety of its citizens. The people of India stand firmly behind the forces on issues of national security.”