Pakistanis in India

Pakistanis in India primarily consist of Pakistani Hindus and Sikhs who seek permanent settlement in the Republic of India via Indian citizenship.^[6] Others include Muslim Pakistani nationals who desire Indian citizenship or seek to work in the Indian Republic as expatriates.^[7] In December 2015, Anglo–Pakistani singer Adnan Sami became a naturalized Indian citizen after living in India on an extended visitor visa since 2001.^[8] The state of Maharashtra has witnessed a six-fold increase in applications for Indian citizenship from Pakistani nationals following the relaxation and simplification of immigration rules in December 2017. The primary purpose of these applications was a result of cross-border marriages, which have resulted in spouses waiting for citizenship for close to a decade.^[9]

Pakistanis in India

Regions with significant populations
Predominantly Northern India
Languages
Sindhi, Punjabi, Urdu–Hindi, others
Religion
Predominantly Hinduism[1][2][3][4] and Sikhism[5] Minority Islam
Related ethnic groups
Pakistani diaspora

Additionally, there are also an estimated 761 Pakistani nationals imprisoned within Indian jails, most of them serving their terms on charges of espionage and terror-related crimes.^[10]

There are an extensive number of Pakistanis illegally overstaying in India. In 2017, 250 illegal Pakistani immigrants were deported from India.^[11]

According to a report in the Pakistani newspaper DAWN, over 5,000 Pakistani Hindus migrate to India annually as refugees.^[12]

Notable individuals

• Ram Singh Sodho, former member of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh^[13]
• Arjun Das Bugti, politician from Balochistan and former Deputy Speaker of the Provincial Assembly
• Adnan Sami, Pakistan-born musician^[8]

See also

• India–Pakistan relations
• Baloch people in India
• Sindhis in India
• Indians in Pakistan
• Partition of India

References

1. Khan, Naimat (2 October 2020). "Pakistani Hindus migrating to India for new life often return home disappointed". Arab News. Archived from the original on 15 December 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
2. Abi-Habib, Maria (5 October 2019). "Hard Times Have Pakistani Hindus Looking to India, Where Some Find Only Disappointment". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
3. "Why Pakistani Hindus leave their homes for India". BBC News. 28 October 2015. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
4. Butt, Kiran (11 September 2020). "With shattered dreams, 14 Pakistani Hindus return home". Anadolu Agency. Archived from the original on 1 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
5. Tripathi, Rahul (3 September 2020). "About 450 Pakistani Hindus, Sikhs await nod to return to India, apply for citizenship". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
6. IANS (13 March 2012). "Over 700 Pakistanis got Indian citizenship". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 June 2012.^{[dead link]}
7. "Adnan Sami reveals why he took Indian citizenship", Dawn, 7 December 2016, retrieved 10 November 2018
8. "Pakistani legend Adnan Sami", The Indian Express, 2 January 2016, retrieved 10 November 2018
9. "Eased immigration rules give Pak brides in India a ticket to travel", Times of India, 11 November 2018, retrieved 11 November 2018
10. "761 Pakistanis in Indian jails, NA told". DAWN.COM. 14 February 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
11. "250 Pakistani nationals, 1,750 Bangladeshis deported from India in last 3 years". hindustantimes.com. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
12. "5,000 Hindus migrating to India every year, NA told". 13 May 2014.
13. "Hindu lawmaker resigns, settles in India", The Express Tribune, 31 January 2011, retrieved 1 February 2011