30,000 Pak Hindus, Sikhs can buy homes in India

New Delhi: As many as 30,000 Pakistani nationals, a majority of them Hindus, have been given Long-Time Visas (LTVs) from 2011, following which they can now get both PAN and Aadhaar cards. Home ministry officials said they can now buy property in India as well.

This year alone, 6,092 Pakistani nationals have so far been granted LTVs, that is part of the Centre’s plan to give relief to minority communities from nations like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who have shifted to India because of alleged persecution back home. Officials said 14,726 Pakistani citizens were given LTVs between 2011 and 2014. Once the system went online, 2,142 Pakistani nationals were given LTVs in 2015 and as many as 2,298 in 2016 and 4,712 in 2017.

Under the MHA’s policy, minority communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, which includes Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who have been living in India on LTVs, can buy a small house that is adequate for a family for self-use as well as suitable accommodation to carry out self-employment. But such visa holders can’t buy immovable property in and around restricted or protected areas, which includes cantonments. They can obtain PAN and Aadhaar cards as well as driving licences. They can also take up self-employment or do small businesses.

LTV holders are allowed free movement within the state where they live and can transfer the same documents from one state to another. Another 1,500 applications from Pakistani nationals for LTVs are under the home ministry’s consideration.