Amritsar January 18:
Seeking Indian citizenship, 50 families hailing from Pakistan submitted a representation in this regard to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, KS Pannu. The families say they want to escape the discrimination against minorities in Pakistan. President, All-India Hindu Shiv Sena, Surinder Kumar Billa, led the delegation.
As many as 200 Pakistani Sikh and Hindu families live in the Chheharta area in Amritsar and do petty jobs to make both ends meet. Facing alleged social discrimination and economic hardships, they migrated to the border over a decade back. Now, they want to live here permanently and adopt Indian citizenship. As per norms, they would have to go back after every five years to get their visas for stay renewed.
Class XII students Jaswinder Kaur and her friend Niranjeet Kaur, hailing from Peshawar in Pakistan, say their studies get affected everytime they have to go back to their country or visit their Embassy in New Delhi to get the permit for stay extended. “Life in Pakistan was hell, especially for girls. As Pakistani nationals we have go back once every five years and to our Embassy in New Delhi every two years to get our stay permit renewed. We are scared to go back because of the harassment meted out to the members of the minority communities,” they said.
Naam Singh, hailing from Peshawar, says he was forced to leave their country or origin due to the prejudice against the minorities. Deputy Commissioner said several cases of Sikh and Hindu families from Pakistan and Afghanistan have been forwarded to the state Home Department after verification of records. “The cases too would be recommended to the state government after the formalities get completed,” he said.
Seeking Indian citizenship, 50 families hailing from Pakistan submitted a representation in this regard to the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, KS Pannu. The families say they want to escape the discrimination against minorities in Pakistan. President, All-India Hindu Shiv Sena, Surinder Kumar Billa, led the delegation.
As many as 200 Pakistani Sikh and Hindu families live in the Chheharta area in Amritsar and do petty jobs to make both ends meet. Facing alleged social discrimination and economic hardships, they migrated to the border over a decade back. Now, they want to live here permanently and adopt Indian citizenship. As per norms, they would have to go back after every five years to get their visas for stay renewed.
Class XII students Jaswinder Kaur and her friend Niranjeet Kaur, hailing from Peshawar in Pakistan, say their studies get affected everytime they have to go back to their country or visit their Embassy in New Delhi to get the permit for stay extended. “Life in Pakistan was hell, especially for girls. As Pakistani nationals we have go back once every five years and to our Embassy in New Delhi every two years to get our stay permit renewed. We are scared to go back because of the harassment meted out to the members of the minority communities,” they said.
Naam Singh, hailing from Peshawar, says he was forced to leave their country or origin due to the prejudice against the minorities. Deputy Commissioner said several cases of Sikh and Hindu families from Pakistan and Afghanistan have been forwarded to the state Home Department after verification of records. “The cases too would be recommended to the state government after the formalities get completed,” he said.
