New Delhi [India], November 12 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted the Central government and other respondents three more weeks to file a reply in a petition by a Pakistani woman seeking permission to enter India to join her husband.

The Pakistani woman had been married to her husband, an Indian citizen, in 2024.

On October 6, the High Court issued a notice to the Central government and other authorities. However, the replies were not filed at that time.

Justice Sachin Datta, while granting the extension, termed it as the last opportunity for the respondents to submit their response. The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 1. The bench was informed about the extension by counsel representing the petitioner.

Pakistani woman and her husband had earlier moved the petition challenging the order of the central government cancelling all visas in the wake of the Pahalgam attack on April 22, which killed 26 people. Following the attack, Indian authorities asked the petitioner to return to Pakistan.

Earlier, Justice Sachin Datta had issued notice to the Central Government and asked the counsel for the Central Government to take instructions on why the application moved by the petitioner seeking a long-term visa (LTV) was not considered, while the pleas of other applicants were considered.

Senior advocate Sanjeev Sagar, alongwith advocates Rajeshwar Singh, Chaitanya Singh, and Nazia Parveen, had appeared for the petitioners.

It is stated that the Petitioners are a legally wedded husband and wife. The Petitioner is a Pakistani national who holds a valid passport issued by the Government of Pakistan, valid until June 20, 2027, and a Visitor Visa (Single Entry, applicable only to Pakistani nationals), valid until August 20, 2025.

The petition stated that she entered India on April 5, 2025, via the Attari-Wagah Border on foot, for the purpose of visiting friends and relatives in India, and to reside with her husband, who is a citizen of India.

The marriage between the Petitioners was solemnised on November 14, 2024, in Pakistan, in accordance with Muslim Personal Law. The Petitioners have prayed the court to quash the exit permit issued on April 28 by the Indian Authorities.

The petitioners have also asked for a direction to grants suitable entry permission so that the petitioner can rejoin her spouse to maintain conjugal relations with her husband and can rejoin her spouse to maintain conjugal relations with him.

The petitioners have also sought a direction to the concerned officer who advises the officers of the High Commission of India in Islamabad to accept the application of the petitioner for a visa by hand, since the online window service has been closed, and to consider the pending application for a long-term visa.

It is submitted that the families of Petitioners have an age-long relationship, and both of them used to visit each other's countries as and when desired. The petitioners grew up in their respective countries, but the families of both petitioners had an understanding to make their social relations stronger by marrying their children to each other. Once the petitioners attained the age of majority, their families agreed to get them married (nikah) through virtual mode on July 28, 2024, in the presence of witnesses, according to the plea submitted.

It is stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigners-I Division, issued an order on April 25, 2025, in response to the diabolical, horrendous, and inhuman terrorist attack that occurred in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.

Pursuant to the said incident, the ministry decided to suspend visa services for Pakistani nationals with immediate effect. It was further declared that all existing valid visas issued by the Government of India to Pakistani nationals, except Medical Visas, Long-Term Visas (LTVs), and Diplomatic and Official Visas, would stand revoked with effect from April 27, 2025. Medical visas were declared valid only until April 29, 2025, and it was additionally decided that no new visas would be issued to Pakistani nationals. (ANI)