Baby denied entry to Pak; parents stranded

In yet another case of mishandling cross border immigration laws, Pakistani officials have denied entry to a seven-month-old baby travelling with her Pakistani parents in the Thar Express since she was born in India and there was no additional immigration on her mother’s passport.

Sita Devi and Dhudaram Koli were travelling along with their baby girl to their home in Pau village in Pakistan’s Hyderabad division, but the couple were stopped at Munabao railway station.

Officials said that the family had been dropped at Jodhpur under official custody and were asked to follow a long procedure with the local police station, immigration department and Pakistani embassy.

“The family has been dropped in Jodhpur from where they will have to report to the area police station,” an immigration official at Munabao railway station said.

“They will have to extend their visa, follow the procedure to get documents for their baby and finally take up the issue of their immigration back home with the Pakistani embassy.”
Officials said the Koli family came to India along with their four children a year ago. During her stay in India, Sita Devi gave birth to the baby girl Bharti in Gujarat in June 2014.