Overview

• Following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 Indian tourists, the Indian government deported nearly 900 Pakistani nationals by April 29.
• Among those deported was Osama, who had lived in India for 17 years and claimed to hold an Aadhaar card, ration card, and voter ID, despite being a Pakistani national.
• Osama admitted to having voted in Indian elections, prompting the Election Commission of India to launch an investigation into his voter registration in the Uri Assembly constituency.
• The deportations included long-term residents, some of whom had lived in India for up to five decades, raising concerns about gaps in India's citizenship verification system.
• Osama and other deportees have appealed for leniency, citing deep family ties and long-term residency in India, while condemning the Pahalgam attack and calling for action against its perpetrators.