Karnataka intensifies crackdown on illegal Pakistani residents after Pahalgam attack

In the wake of the brutal April 22, 2025, terror strike in Pahalgam—which killed 26 tourists and injured many—Karnataka has ramped up internal security efforts. Following the Centre’s move to ban Pakistani nationals under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), Home Minister G. Parameshwara vowed stringent action against undocumented individuals.

Parameshwara emphasized that the government is collaborating closely with central intelligence units. Any Pakistani citizen found staying unlawfully, especially in Bengaluru, will be detained and handed over to their High Commission for deportation, he told ANI.

To enforce this drive, state police have deployed special verification squads across areas packed with lodges, guesthouses, and informal settlements. Additionally, CBI and IB officers have been embedded in city police stations, ready to respond to intelligence inputs about possible sleeper cells.

During a recent Legislative Assembly discussion, Parameshwara disclosed that Karnataka has apprehended 137 illegal migrants, including 25 Pakistani nationals. Bengaluru alone accounted for 84 arrests, signaling the city’s vulnerability to unlawful residency.

Bengaluru’s past incidents—the Church Street blast (2014) and Chinnaswamy Stadium attack (2010)—have exposed links to cross-border terror networks. A December 2024 raid in Jigani, triggered by an Intelligence Bureau alert, uncovered a Pakistani national and three accomplices using fake documents. Early probes pointed to a larger underground ring specializing in identity fraud.

As Karnataka tightens its vigilance, the challenge lies in uprooting sleeper cells without inflaming social discord.

#InternalSecurity #BengaluruAlert #IllegalImmigration #CounterTerrorism