Hyderabad:Special branch teams are actively searching for illegal Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants in the twin cities following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 28 lives.
“Over a dozen illegal Burmese (Myanmarese) and Bangladeshi citizens staying in the twin cities without valid documents have been arrested and stern action will be taken against them,” said Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand.
Citizens have been urged to inform the police about any suspicious activities in their localities concerning illegal immigrants. Anand said the matter is being seen as a national security concern.
In the aftermath of the terror attack, the Indian government took a raft of diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including declaring a section of Pakistani diplomats in New Delhi as persona non grata.
Further, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the visas have been cancelled of Pakistani nationals currently in India under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Visa Exemption Scheme and they must leave in 48 hours.
The Foreigners Regional Registration Office here and local immigration authorities said there is not a single person in the twin cities with a SAARC visa.
The last time a Pakistani was found illegally staying in India was on September 1, 2023 when 24-year-old Faiz Mohammed, a native of Shangla district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was caught. He had illegally entered India in 2022 and was residing in the city with a woman claiming to be his wife.
Faiz had entered India through the Nepal border without a valid visa and had been staying illegally in Kishan Bagh area in the city with the woman, they said.
A Pakistani passport and other documents were seized from his possession.
