Near Majnu Ka Tila, a well-known Tibetan settlement and market on the Outer Ring Road en route to Kashmere Gate ISBT, around 100 Hindu families reside who had migrated to India from Pakistan in 2013, fleeing religious persecution.

Now, they face uncertainty as India has announced the revocation of all visas issued to Pakistani nationals, effective April 27, amid escalating tensions between the two countries following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.

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Although the government later clarified that Long-Term Visas (LTVs) already granted to Hindu Pakistani nationals will remain valid, many refugees say they are still worried about their fate, as their visas are renewed every two years and their applications for Indian citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 are still being processed.

Nanki, a 35-year-old woman, told The Statesman that they have been asked to submit the relevant documents for verification. “We have been renewing our visas on a regular basis. However, there are families who migrated recently, just a few months ago,” she added.

Moreover, she said that although the documents have been submitted, they are under stress due to uncertainty about their future stay.

“We don’t want to go back to the place we left out of fear. If there is uncertainty about our stay in India too, then our migration here is of no use,” said Pooran Das, a 65-year-old migrant.

Speaking in a mixture of Hindi and Sindhi, he became emotional while recounting the atrocities he faced that forced him to leave his ancestral home in the Sindh province of Pakistan. “If we are asked to return to the country we fled, then what is the benefit of seeking asylum in India,” he added.

Notably, following directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Delhi Police is carrying out verification of refugees staying in various parts of the city.