Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government not to deport a Pakistani Sikh family residing in Dehradun on a long-term visa unless they constitute a risk to national security.
Court Hearing and Order
A single bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari was hearing a petition challenging a government directive that ordered the family — living at Vasant Vihar in Dehradun since 2019 — to leave the country within 24 hours. The court on Thursday instructed the central and state governments to jointly take a considered decision and file their reply before the next hearing, scheduled for June 15.
Background of the Family
Manjit Singh, 55, originally from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, works as a supplier of polishing materials in Dehradun. According to his lawyer, Vikas Kumar Guglani, Singh arrived in India with his family on a long-term visa in 2019 and extended its validity until December 10, 2026. On May 15, the state government issued him a notice to leave the country within 24 hours; he received this notice on June 2 and subsequently challenged the order by filing a petition.
Petitioner's Arguments
Guglani stated, “The notice sent to my client did not state any reason or grounds for asking him to leave the country within 24 hours. It merely mentioned in a single sentence that an email regarding this matter had been received from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.” In the petition, he maintained that Singh’s visa remains valid and highlighted his family circumstances. Singh has three children — an elder daughter studying BTech, a second daughter studying BDS, and a young son — and requested permission for them to remain in India for the full visa period.
Government's Position
During the hearing, the government submitted that the ITBP headquarters is close to the family’s home, which could raise national security concerns, and therefore argued that Singh should be sent back to Pakistan.
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