New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on Friday a writ petition filed by six members of a family challenging their imminent deportation to Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam,Jammu and Kashmir.
The matter was listed on Thursday before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh, but it could not be taken up during the initial call.
During a subsequent mentioning, Justice Kant advised the petitioners’ counsel to refer to a newspaper report published today, which mentioned an order passed by the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court potentially helpful for the petitioners’ case.
Taking note of the urgency, the bench agreed to hear the matter tomorrow.
According to the petitioners, they possess valid Indian passports and Aadhaar cards, asserting their lawful presence in the country. The petition has been filed through Advocate-on-Record Dr. Nanda Kishore.
This legal challenge arises amid escalating diplomatic and security tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, where 26 tourists lost their lives after being fired upon by terrorists.
In the wake of the incident, the Union Government issued strict directives mandating that all Pakistani nationals on short-term visas must exit India by April 27 or face deportation. While many complied, some, including the petitioners, are now at risk of forced removal.
Notably, the same bench earlier in the day refused to entertain a public interest litigation seeking a judicial commission to probe the Pahalgam terror attack, suggesting that such action falls within the domain of the executive.
The Top Court berated the lawyer who filed a petition seeking an investigation by a retired judge into the Pahalgam massacre.
“Don’t file such petitions to demoralise our forces. Since when have judges started conducting investigations?” Justice Kant asked the lawyer who filed the petition seeking the appointment of an Apex Court judge to conduct an investigation.
The current petition filed by the family against their deportation is due to the growing legal and humanitarian dimension to the security fallout of the Pahalgam attack, as questions of citizenship, identity, and due process take centre stage before the Apex Court.
UNI
