Bikaner collector tells Pak immigrants to vacate city

In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the district collector of Bikaner has asked Pakistani nationals staying there to leave the city within 48 hours.

The order has created panic among 5,000 Pakistani Hindu immigrants living across Rajasthan.

According to an order issued by District Collector Kumar Pal Gautam, Pakistani immigrants have been asked to leave Bikaner, as it may cause serious law and order problem after the Pulwama terror attack.

The order issued on Monday reads, "District administration has prohibited the stay of Pakistani nationals in rest houses, hotels and hospitals in Bikaner. No employment will be given to Pakistani Citizens".

Moreover, the order also restricts people of Bikaner to keep any business relations with the Pakistani nationals.

In the order, the collector has mentioned that since Bikaner is a border district, prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 have been issued, in wake of the resentment among people towards Pakistan.

To ensure communication is safe, the collector has warned that no citizen will exchange any kind of army/sensitive information to unknown persons and has banned the use of Pakistan SIM cards in Bikaner.

Demand to withdraw the order

Several social organisations have expressed criticism over the order.

The order has created a sense of fear among the Pakistani immigrants residing in different border areas of Rajasthan.

Hindu Singh Soda, president of Seemanth Lok Sangathan— a body working for the welfare of Pakistani Hindus migrants, said "The order was not needed at all, especially when only five such people are living in Bikaner. Because of this order there has been a scare in Jodhpur, which has the largest locality of Pakistani immigrants".

Soda has written a letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and to the Human Rights Commission requesting that the order be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, people in Barmer district have demanded to stop the Thar Express, which runs between India and Pakistan on a weekly basis.

The International Hindu Parishad of Barmer submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India to the district collector of Barmer.