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Pakistan reopened the gates of the Wagah border on Friday to take back the stranded nationals who were earlier denied entry
Pakistani nationals arrive at the Integrated Check Post at the Attari-Wagah border to move to their country, near Amritsar. (IMAGE: PTI/File)
A day after leaving several of its citizens stranded in India despite New Delhi’s readiness to facilitate their return, Pakistan reopened the border at Attari-Wagah on Friday to allow them back into the country.
The Attari-Wagah border crossing was fully closed on Thursday after a week of chaotic cross-border movement, sparked by India’s directive for all Pakistani nationals on short-term visas to leave the country following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
Sources said that although India permitted Pakistani nationals to reach the border, they were unable to cross—likely due to a refusal from Islamabad. However, there were no official statements from the Pakistani side explaining the denial of entry to its own citizens.
After India cancelled select visa categories, 125 Pakistani nationals exited the country through the Attari-Wagah border on Wednesday, raising the total number of departures over the past week to 911. Further, 15 Indian citizens with Pakistani visas also crossed the border, bringing the overall count to 23.
The exit deadlines differed based on visa type—April 26 for SAARC visas, April 27 for 12 other categories, and April 29 for those on medical visas.
- Location :
Islamabad, Pakistan
- First Published:
