The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has told the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court that it will grant a visitor visa to Rakshanda Rashid, a 62-year-old Pakistani woman who was deported earlier this year following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Rakshanda, married to Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed, chairman of the Muslim Front in Jammu, had been living in India for 38 years on a Long-Term Visa (LTV). Her visa expired in January 2025, and while renewal was under process, she was ordered to leave as part of punitive measures against Pakistani nationals after the Pahalgam incident.
She was deported to Pakistan on April 29. On June 6, a single-judge bench ordered her return within 10 days. The Union Territory administration and the Centre challenged that ruling, but have now agreed to issue her a visitor visa after “much deliberation,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court.
Court’s Observation
A division bench led by Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal approved the arrangement but clarified it “shall not constitute a precedent.” The court noted that once she returns, Rakshanda may pursue her pending applications for Indian citizenship and renewal of her LTV.
Background
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Rakshanda entered India on Feb 10, 1990, via Attari on a 14-day visitor visa.
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She married Zahoor Ahmed in Jammu and received annual LTV extensions.
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Following the Pahalgam attack, India revoked visas for all Pakistani nationals in the country.
The Centre said the visa will be processed at the earliest, allowing her to temporarily rejoin her family in Jammu.
