Rajasthan: With the April 27 deadline approaching for Pakistani nationals to leave India following the Pahalgam terror attack, panic and fear have gripped Hindu refugees from Pakistan who sought shelter in India to escape religious persecution. Despite government assurances that those on long-term visas will not be impacted, short-term visa holders remain in a vulnerable limbo—many of them now pleading for protection and a chance to stay.
In Eklavya Bhil Basti, a refugee colony in Mulsagar village near Jaisalmer, over a thousand Hindu refugees from Pakistan live in makeshift settlements. Most arrived through the Wagah-Attari border, fleeing years of systemic harassment and discrimination in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh province.
Among them is Kheto Ram, who arrived in India just hours before the April 22 massacre in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. A former resident of Sindh, he left behind everything he owned to seek safety in India with his wife and two sons. Now, facing the possibility of being sent back, he says, “I would rather die in India than return to a hell like Pakistan.”
His fears are echoed by Balam, another refugee from Sindh. With his young son by his side, he says the thought of returning is terrifying. “We left everything behind. Please, don’t send us back,” his wife pleads.
Growing Fears Amid Worsening Conditions in Pakistan
The anxiety among these families is rooted in real, documented concerns. According to a recent report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the condition of minorities in Pakistan continues to deteriorate. The report highlights the persistent abuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which disproportionately target religious minorities, including Hindus, Christians, and Ahmadis. It calls on the U.S. government to re-designate Pakistan as a “country of particular concern.”
The Indian government, while firm in its directive for Pakistani nationals to exit, has clarified that long-term visa holders, many of whom are Hindu refugees, are not subject to the April 27 deadline. However, no such exemption has been guaranteed for those on short-term visas, creating uncertainty for hundreds of families who arrived recently and have not yet secured permanent documentation.
Calls for Compassion
Refugees in the Jaisalmer camp say they have submitted appeals to Indian authorities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking for an extension or a path to citizenship. “We came here for safety, for dignity. Don’t send us back to where we are not even allowed to live in peace,” said one community elder.
As the deadline looms, humanitarian groups and civil society leaders are urging the government to take a compassionate approach, distinguishing persecuted minorities from illegal entrants, and offering them a fair chance to build a future in India.
For now, the residents of Eklavya Basti wait—caught between a past they fear and a future they hope India will allow them to have.
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