Border closure leaves 26 Pakistanis stranded in India

The ongoing pandemic and increasing number of cases in Pakistan, which now number above 1500, and the ensuing lockdown has stranded twenty-six Pakistani nationals in India.  The Wagah-Attari border crossing point was closed on 13 March by both countries as part of the plan to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Ehsan Rehan, a US national, who is also stranded in India spoke to ProperGaanda, “I am currently in the Gurdaspur Punjab region while some are in Amritsar, another Sikh family had to return to Delhi while another Hindu family is in Mumbai.” Eshan shares that he travelled to India to visit his ancestral village in Gurdaspur on March 12 and intended to return on the 18 of March. “My visa and that of many others have expired. However, the Govt of India has granted extension across the board to those who are stuck due to corona virus border closure,” elaborates Ehsan. “There are around 20 plus Pakistani citizens including families who are currently stuck in India due to border closure. This includes Pakistani Hindus, Sikhs and a few businessmen who were here on SAARC visa.”