Indian government suspends visas for Pakistani nationals; Will Seema Haider be deported?
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Central Government has suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals as part of a series of retaliatory steps.
Seema Haider, who made it to the headlines when she left Pakistan to marry her Indian lover, faces scrutiny after the Centre’s orders.
Seema, already married with four kids back home, had illegally entered India via Nepal in 2023.
Despite the countrywide backlash, her lawyer is hopeful that she will be allowed to live in India, as, he claimed, she was no longer a Pakistani citizen.
“Seema is no longer a Pakistani national. She married Sachin Meena, a resident of Greater Noida, and recently gave birth to their daughter, Bharti Meena. Her citizenship is now connected with her Indian husband, and therefore the Centre’s directive should not apply to her,” Advocate AP Singh told PTI.
Singh argued that the Centre’s order was applicable only to those who currently hold Pakistani citizenship.
“Seema is in India, and she is Indian. A woman’s nationality is determined by her husband’s nationality after marriage,” he said.
He also pointed out that her case is distinct because it is already under investigation by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
“I have also filed a petition on her behalf with the President of India. She is out on bail and has been fully complying with the conditions set by the Jewar court, which include not leaving her in-laws’ residence in Rabupura, Greater Noida,” Singh added.
Quoting international legal frameworks, Singh said, “The International Court of Justice and the Guardianship Act clearly state that a mother is the best guardian for a child. Would you want to send a daughter born in India to Pakistan?”
“The birth certificate issued by the Uttar Pradesh government names Seema Meena as the mother and Sachin Meena as the father of the child. This reinforces her integration into Indian society,” the lawyer said.
Asked if these arguments are likely to secure Seema an exemption from the Centre’s directive, Singh said, “She qualifies for exemption. The Guardianship Act says the child must stay with the mother.”
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