In the wake of last week’s deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a wave of Pakistani nationals is making a desperate rush to cross into Pakistan through the main border at Attari. Following New Delhi’s sweeping order for nearly all Pakistani citizens to leave India, the border crossing has become a tense corridor of hope and despair. The deadline for departure, set for Sunday, has come and gone, yet many families continue to gather on the Indian side, eager to return home amid mounting fears and uncertainty.
Some arrivals are making their way voluntarily, while others are being forcibly deported by authorities. Among those caught in this upheaval is Sara Khan, a Pakistani woman who has called Indian-controlled Kashmir her home since 2017. Carrying her newborn in her arms, Khan recounts her ordeal with a mixture of frustration and despair. She was ordered to leave without her husband, Aurangzeb Khan, an Indian passport holder, who remains on the Indian side.
“I have settled my family here. We are requesting the government not to uproot us,” she pleaded. Her voice trembled as she explained that Indian officials gave her no time to recover from a recent cesarean section and dismissed her long-term visa, valid until July 2026, as illegal. “They told me to go without any warning. I didn’t even have a moment to change my shoes,” she said.
The surge of departures comes amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, fueled by a brutal attack that left 26 dead near Pahalgam, a popular resort town in Kashmir. Witnesses describe the attack as a targeted assault on Hindu tourists, with gunmen allegedly singling out Hindu men and shooting them at close range. The victims included a Nepalese citizen and a local Muslim pony ride operator.
India has condemned the assault as a “terror attack” and pointed fingers at Pakistan, accusing it of backing the militant group that claimed responsibility, Kashmir Resistance. Pakistan has vehemently denied any involvement, calling the accusations baseless and emphasizing the need for peace and dialogue in a region scarred by decades of conflict.
As families like Sara Khan’s scramble to reach safety, the fragile situation underscores the deepening divide and ongoing volatility that continues to define the troubled landscape of Kashmir and the broader India-Pakistan relationship.
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