J&K High Court Stays Repatriation Of Pakistani-Origin Woman Deported After Pahalgam Attack

Srinagar: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh on Wednesday stayed the repatriation of a 63-year-old woman of Pakistani origin, who was deported last month in the aftermath of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Pali and Justice Rajnesh Oswal granted an interim stay on a single-bench order that had directed the return of Rakshanda Rashid, a Pakistani national married to a resident of Jammu. The court also admitted a Letters Patent Appeal filed by the Union Territory administration and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) challenging the earlier ruling dated June 6.

Rashida is currently in Pakistan. Rashid, who was on a Long-Term Visa (LTV) and reportedly suffering from multiple health ailments, was deported last month as part of a broader crackdown on overstaying foreign nationals following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including those of tourists.

The original order passed by Justice Rahul Bharti had directed the Union government to facilitate Rashid's return within 10 days, citing her right to family life. The judge had strongly emphasized that "human rights are the most sacrosanct component of a human life,” while noting that her deportation had separated her from her husband, Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed, an Indian citizen residing in Jammu.

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'Human Rights Most Sacrosanct Component': J-K HC Orders Return of Woman Deported To Pakistan After Pahalgam Attack