NEW DELHI, Aug 14: India has been taken by surprise by the recent development of a large number of Pakistani Hindus declaring their wish to stay on its soil after crossing over and will look into the issue.
Government sources said today that Hindus from Pakistan who are visiting India for pilgrimage were given visas like any other Pakistani nationals, and the developments that followed were somewhat unexpected.
“This comes unexpectedly that such a large number say they do not want to return,” the sources said.
“In terms of the people turning up, there has been an element of surprise for all of us. Last year too we had visitors, but there was no influx, apart from one particular case”.
They said the families, who had communicated their desire to stay through the media, were yet to approach the Indian Government officially, and once they do, the issue and its implications would be looked into.
Commenting on India’s overall refugee policy, the sources said by and large India does not send back people fleeing persecution but deals on a case by case basis.
“At the same time, we try not to become a magnate,” said sources, pointing out that India is currently also dealing with the issue of Rohingyas from Myanmar, a dispute it is not party to.
A large number of Pakistani Hindu families have crossed over into India in recent days, and Pakistani Interior Minister had alleged that he suspected a “conspiracy” in the giving of visas to a large number of people.
Asked about the issue of allowing Pakistani FDI in India, the sources said the blanket ban that was hitherto in place had ended, but a case by case scrutiny, as is the norm, would be done.
“Every proposal will go through scrutiny which varies from country to country and on case by case basis. In case of banks, RBI is not going to budge from any of its rules,” they said in response to a question.
Asked if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari during the upcoming NAM summit, they said the programme has not yet been finalised, and all proposals will be taken into account.
On the Indus water issue between India and Pakistan, the sources said the Ministries of Water of both sides have been holding a regular dialogue, and will jointly consider the option of going to an arbiter, it they see no agreement.
Terrorism, they said, continues to have a fallout on India, and will remain a key issue in talks with Pakistan.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna is set to visit Pakistan in September. Foreign Secretaries of the two sides met on July 19 and discussed issues of increasing cross LoC trade.
“Our dialogue process (with Pakistan) is on and our aim is to look at what we have achieved in a year and then set out agenda for the next year,” they said. (PTI)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel