PANAJI
A Pakistani national residing in Goa on a long-term visa has moved the Supreme Court following Centre’s notification revoking the visas of Pakistani nationals in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack in April that killed 26 people.
Based on the directions from the Centre, Goa government directed three Pakistani nationals to leave the State and the country and had identified 17 individuals holding long-term visas.
The petitioner has been residing in Goa since 2016.
The Pakistan national's counsel on Thursday mentioned the matter before a bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma for urgent listing. The bench agreed to hear the plea in due course.
“This is a matter of a Pakistani national residing in Goa since 2016 on long-term visa. After the Pahalgam attack, there is a notification issued by the Government of India," the counsel said.
Responding to it, the bench firmly told the petitioner, “You go back”.
However, the counsel said the petitioner is not opposing his deportation, but only wanted a fair chance to be heard as there was a specific condition in the long-term visa.
The bench was informed that the petitioner was born in India, a detail that would be relevant in deciding this case.
The top court, however, inquired with the counsel why his client hadn't moved the jurisdictional high court.
To this, the counsel replied that local police had already visited the petitioner, indicating that deportation steps had begun.
