Visa revoked, Pak woman goes missing

A Pakistani woman has gone missing after her visa was recently revoked.

The Indian Government has suspended visa services for Pakistan citizens and revoked most of the existing visas, excluding long-term, medical, diplomatic and official visas in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

Maria Bibi (28), who is married to Sonu Masih of Sathiali village, 5 km from here, met an advocate yesterday. She was accompanied by her husband and mother-in-law. Minutes after that meeting, she disappeared. She is in the family way. On Saturday, she visited the Gurdaspur Civil Hospital for a medical check-up.

She came in contact with Sonu through social media around six years ago. She repeatedly tried to come to India, but could not do so as the Indian authorities did not grant her a visa.

On July 4, 2024, she managed to get a tourist visa. She reached India and got married to Sonu four days later. She belongs to Gujranwala in Pakistan.

Sonu said a Gurdaspur police team visited their residence and told them that Maria would have to return to Pakistan. “They told us that Maria should leave India immediately as per instructions from the Union Government,” he said.

SSP Aditya said, “We know she is absconding. We will follow the instructions of the Ministry of Home Affairs. We will arrest her and send her back to Pakistan soon.”

Punjab