Jammu, Aug 2: In a significant development, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has agreed to grant a visitor visa to 62-year-old Pakistani national Rakshanda Rashid, who was recently deported from Jammu in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The decision, disclosed before the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, paves the way for Rashid’s return to her family after weeks of legal battle and emotional turmoil.
The MHA’s submission led the High Court’s division bench—comprising Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Rajnesh Oswal—to dismiss Rashid’s writ petition, which sought permission to stay in India. The court emphasized that the visa grant is a unique exception and “shall not be treated as a precedent.”
Rashid, a resident of Islamabad, had been living in Jammu for over three decades following her 1990 marriage to Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed, an Indian citizen from Talab Khatikan area. The couple has four children, all residing in Jammu and Kashmir. She was holding a valid Long-Term Visa (LTV), extended annually by Indian authorities, and had applied for its renewal in January 2025. However, amid post-terror attack security measures, she was abruptly issued a Leave India Notice on April 28 and deported through the Wagah border the next day.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, told the court that after due deliberation and in light of the case’s “peculiar circumstances,” the MHA had agreed in principle to grant her a visitor visa, subject to necessary formalities.
Rashid’s lawyers, Ankur Sharma and Himani Khajuria, confirmed her willingness to accept the visitor visa offer. The court also clarified that she can pursue her pending applications for Indian citizenship and LTV extension.
Earlier, a single-judge bench had questioned the deportation, stating that the act lacked proper assessment, especially given her valid LTV status. Rashid’s husband expressed immense relief, stating, “The family was living in distress. We’re grateful that justice prevailed.”
The case has stirred emotions across the region, highlighting the delicate balance between national security and humanitarian values. For Rashid and her family, the upcoming reunion is not just legal relief—it’s a restoration of dignity and belonging.
