After the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistani national Hussain Ahmed, who had been living in India for the past 25 years with his wife, was deported to Pakistan under the Government of India’s directive.
Upon entering Pakistan through the Wagah Border on April 29, Hussain was questioned by the Pakistan Rangers but failed to produce any valid identity proof as his Pakistani passport had long expired.
He was subsequently detained and arrested under the Foreigners Act.
His bail applications have been rejected by different courts in Pakistan. The Lahore High Court has now directed that his trial be concluded within two months.
Speaking on the case, Indian Supreme Court Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa talked about a broader international perspective.
Pahwa said: ‘Hussain Ahmed’s case is significant and relevant under international law. After being deported, he was detained and is now being prosecuted.’
Pahwa said that under international law, a fair trial must be ensured and Hussain’s identity properly verified. “
He said: ‘Cases involving cross-border marriages should be viewed with humanitarian consideration.’
While national security is paramount, both India and Pakistan must cooperate through diplomatic channels to establish identity verification processes that uphold justice as well as humanity, Pahwa added.
Advocate Ashwini Dubey, Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court, said: ‘Since Ahmed is a Pakistani national, his trial must proceed in Pakistan. Indian law is very clear that any foreign national residing illegally in India must be deported to their country.’
There were several Pakistani nationals concealing their identities while living in Indiawhich posed a serious national security risk, he said.
He said that it was essential to identify and deport such individuals and warned that delays in such action could lead to incidents similar to the 26/11 attacks.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
