Visa relaxations allow stranded Pakistani brides to enter India

One hundred and fifty brides from Pakistan's Sindh province have successfully arrived in India for their weddings, resolving a severe diplomatic deadlock that paused cross-border marriages for over a year. Ties between the neighboring countries deteriorated sharply after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack left 26 civilians dead. Indian armed forces subsequently executed Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025. In response to the escalating security situation, New Delhi sealed the Wagah-Attari land border and severely restricted entry permits for Pakistani nationals. This policy shift instantly stranded dozens of engaged Sindhi women, leaving their grooms in cities like Nagpur, Jodhpur, and Raipur waiting indefinitely.

Diplomatic Breakthrough

Seeking a resolution, community leaders approached the revered Shadaani Darbar, a prominent Hindu shrine located in Ghotki, Pakistan. Sant Yudhishtirlal Shadaani, the shrine’s spiritual head currently based in Raipur, intervened on their behalf. His religious organization cataloged the stranded families and formally petitioned the Ministry of Home Affairs. Government officials eventually granted a special relaxation, provided the visitors bypassed land borders and entered exclusively via international flights.

Between April and June of this year, the engaged women and approximately 450 family members utilized transit hubs in Dubai, Muscat, Colombo, and Dhaka to reach Indian soil. Historically, Sindhi families have relied on direct land crossings to maintain these cross-border cultural ties, making this year's rerouted travel highly unusual. While these weddings are now moving forward, celebrations remain subdued because visiting relatives must return home within heavily restricted timeframes. Community representatives highlight that the crisis is far from fully resolved, as nearly 300 more girls in Pakistan are still awaiting government clearance to join their fiancés in India.