A Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting was held in Delhi on Wednesday, which lasted over two hours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting, attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and others. The CCS meeting focused on Pahalgam terror attack that occurred on Tuesday, April 22. The Cabinet Committee on Security took strong measures against Pakistan, which included cancellation of visas (Pakistan).
This decision by the government has shocked Pakistani nationals, currently in India on a visa, who have been asked to leave the country in 48 hours. However, the question arises what will happen to Pakistani nationals who are in India without a ‘visa.’ This question has brought the spotlight back on Pakistani Seema Haider, living in India without visa. Haider, who is living in Rabupura of Greater Noida, with Indian husband Sachin Meena, might have to travel back to Pakistan, in light of this decision.
Who Is Seema Haider?
Seema Haider, hailing from Sindh province in Pakistan had entered India illegally through Nepal on May 13, 2023. She stepped foot in India without a visa and passport, after falling in love with Sachin Meena. They had come in contact while playing online game PUBG in 2019-20. She had met Sachin in Nepal for the first time. They are now married and have a child together. She was arrested earlier with Sachin for entering India without a valid Visa and were later released on bail.
She claims that she has adopted Hinduism and is following practices of her husband’s religion. However, it is important to note that she has not yet acquired the Indian Citizenship. The matter is in the court.
Haider’s Mercy Petition
On July 2023, Seema had filed a mercy petition with President Droupadi Murmu. She had requested that she, along with her four children, be allowed to stay at her “matrimonial home” in Greater Noida. The petition was filed on her behalf by Supreme Court advocate AP Singh and received at the President’s secretariat. In the petition she stated that she had converted to Hinduism and got married to Meena as per Hindu rites and rituals at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal.
“Hon’ble madam, petitioner has found peace, love and happiness and a sense of purpose with Sachin Meena as a beloved husband, his father as father-in-law and his mother as mother-in-law that the petitioner never had before. Her excellency, (the) petitioner begs you to believe the petitioner and show compassion to a lady, not highly educated,” Haider stated in petition.
“If you show mercy, the petitioner will spend the rest of her life with her husband, four minor children and matrimonial relative will be grateful that you gave chance to make something of myself and to be a source of strength and support matrimonial petitioner can. The petitioner will finally be able to live a life with dignity in India,” she stated.
Will Daughter Get Citizenship For Seema?
Seema is currently residing in India with her husband Sachin. She has recently given birth to Sachin’s daughter. In such a situation, will Sachin’s daughter be able to get Indian citizenship for Seema Haider or Seema will be sent back is a question. Notably, Indian citizenship can be acquired by birth, descent, registration and naturalisation. However, there are certain conditions and procedure for acquisition of Indian citizenship.
Will Seema Haider Be Sent Back?
It is important to note that India has cancelled visas under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. The MEA stated, “Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.”
SVES visa is a special travel document, known as SAARC Visa Exemption Sticker. It is issued to 24 categories of entitled persons which include Dignitaries, Judges of higher courts, Parliamentarians, Senior Officials, Businessmen, Journalists, Sportsmen etc. The document was issued after leaders of South Asia, in the fourth SAARC Summit held at Islamabad recognised the vitality of people to people contact among the peoples of South Asian countries. It exempts the dignitaries from visas and other travelling documents.
In light of this, Seema will not be sent back, as the government has not announced any cancellations of visas in other categories, nor has it clarified what action will be taken against people living illegally in India.
All SVES visas issued to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled.
Pakistani nationals currently in India under this scheme must exit the country within 48 hours.#PahalgamTerroristAttack pic.twitter.com/zfFFQwmfP9
— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) April 23, 2025
Also Read: Pahalgam Terror Attack: China Condemns Killing, Falls Short Of Calling It A Terrorist Act
