The human cost of India’s deportation of Pakistani citizens has come into sharp focus, with families describing prolonged separations, social suspicion and everyday hardships following heightened security measures after the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir.
Couple separated for months
In an interview with Deutsche Welle, Shahbaz and his wife Erum spoke about being forcibly separated since April after India initiated deportation proceedings against Pakistani nationals. While Shahbaz remains in India with their young child, Erum has been living in Pakistan for nearly eight months, unable to reunite with her family.
The couple said the separation has been emotionally devastating, particularly for their child, who has grown up without daily contact with his mother. “It feels like our family life has been frozen,” Shahbaz said, describing the uncertainty surrounding visas and permissions.
Suspicion in everyday life
Shahbaz said that since the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, suspicion toward Pakistanis has intensified and spilled into daily interactions. One of the most distressing consequences, he said, was facing difficulty enrolling his child in school, with authorities and institutions increasingly cautious about documentation linked to cross-border families.
“Every form, every question feels like an interrogation,” he told DW, adding that routine tasks have become emotionally draining. The atmosphere of mistrust, he said, has made even ordinary social interactions uncomfortable.
Policy impact beyond headlines
India’s deportation drive, officials say, is rooted in national security concerns. However, rights advocates argue that blanket measures often overlook humanitarian considerations, particularly in cases involving mixed-nationality families and long-term residents with deep social ties in India.
Legal experts point out that such separations can have long-lasting psychological effects on children, who bear the brunt of policies shaped by geopolitical tensions beyond their control.
Uncertain path ahead
For Erum, life in Pakistan has meant isolation from her immediate family and constant anxiety about when, or if, she will be allowed to return. The couple said repeated appeals and legal efforts have so far yielded little clarity.
As diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan remain strained, families like Shahbaz and Erum’s find themselves caught in the middle—living reminders that policy decisions made in the name of security can have deeply personal consequences.