Pakistani Woman Asked to Leave Bhubaneswar amid Heightened Security Measures

Bhubaneswar: Nagma Yusuf, a Pakistani woman residing in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Sunday left the city following the recent ‘Leave India’ notice by the Union government.

Nagma, a native of Karachi, had been living in the BJB Nagar area of Bhubaneswar since 2008 after marrying Mohammed Nizam Uddin, an Indian national. Despite residing in India for over 16 years, she had not applied for Indian citizenship. Her visa had officially expired in December 2024, following which she sought an extension under a long-term stay request. However, her application was turned down in view of heightened security concerns and stricter directives from the central government regarding Pakistani nationals residing in India.

Commissionerate Police, Bhubaneswar, issued a formal ‘Leave India’ notice to Nagma last week, citing the Centre’s instructions to review the presence of Pakistani citizens in the country after the Pahalgam incident. She left for Pakistan around 10.30 am on Sunday, escorted to the airport by security officials.

According to government sources, at least 11 more Pakistani nationals, residing in various parts of Odisha on long-term visas (LTVs), are under review and are likely to be served similar notices in the coming days. The Odisha government has initiated the process of verifying the legal status, visa validity, and any pending citizenship or asylum applications submitted by these individuals.

The move comes as part of a nationwide exercise to ensure internal security and monitor the presence of foreign nationals amid escalating tensions following the terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir.