Sat Apr 26 09:35:46 UTC 2025: ## Indian Woman Faces Deportation Despite 35 Years in the Country
**Bhubaneswar, Odisha –** A 53-year-old woman, Sharada Kukreja, who migrated from Pakistan to India with her family over three decades ago, faces deportation following a recent government order revoking visas for Pakistani nationals. The order, issued in the wake of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, has left Kukreja and her family in distress.
Kukreja, who married an Indian national in Odisha’s Koraput district in 1987, has lived in India for 35 years and considers herself Indian. She possesses an Aadhaar number and has even voted in recent elections. Despite multiple applications for Indian citizenship, her request has yet to be processed.
A deportation notice has been issued, citing the lack of a valid long-term visa. Kukreja’s family, including her husband, children, and grandchildren, are pleading for leniency, stating they have no connections left in Pakistan and are deeply rooted in their Indian community. Her sister, settled in Chhattisgarh, faces a similar predicament.
The family expressed immense emotional distress, questioning the fairness of deporting someone with such deep ties to India after so many years. They highlighted the lack of support and guidance throughout their repeated citizenship applications.
Odisha officials have identified approximately 12 Pakistani nationals for deportation, prompting concerns about the impact on long-term residents with established lives in India. The incident highlights the complex human consequences of broad-sweeping government policies enacted in the aftermath of security concerns.
First Piper 