Former Pakistani lawmaker, who sells ice cream in India, allowed to stay back

Dabaya Ram was born around two years before the Partition in Punjab, Pakistan.

With the Centre directing Pakistani nationals living in India on visas to return to their own country, Dabaya Ram, a former Member of Parliament in Pakistan, who now lives in Fatehabad district of Haryana, was in a fix too.

According to News18, local police summoned Dabaya Ram’s family for questioning following the central government directive. However, they were later permitted to return to their home in Rattangarh village of Ratia tehsil in Fatehabad district. Six members of Dabaya Ram’s family have acquired Indian citizenship but the remaining 28 are still struggling for permanent residency.

After the Pahalgam terror attack, a total of 537 Pakistani nationals reportedly exited India via the Attari-Wagah border over a four-day period starting April 24.

Dabaya Ram was born around two years before the Partition in Punjab, Pakistan. However, after 1947, he continued living in Pakistan. The News18 report stated that he and his family resisted forced conversion. In 1988, Ram was elected unopposed to Pakistan’s National Assembly from the Lohiya and Bakhar districts.

However, he faced various personal tragedies during his tenure. A female relative was abducted and forcibly married by religious extremists. When Ram sought justice in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, his plea was dismissed. Fearing for their safety, his family left Pakistan in 2000. They initially travelled to Rohtak on a one-month visa to attend a relative’s funeral before eventually settling in Ratangarh.

Ram began supporting his large family by selling kulfis and ice cream from a cycle rickshaw. His seven children have married within the community and started their own families.

His family with 34 members has been striving for Indian citizenship since the last two decades. According to News18, six members, including two women, have received Indian citizenship. Applications for the remaining 28 are still under process.

Ram initially arrived in India with his family on a one-month visa. Over the years, he continued to renew the visas annually until 2018. Initially, extensions were granted for a year at a time, but later the family began receiving one-year and five-year visas.

According to reports,  50 Pakistani nationals, who hold the NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa, crossed over to India through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at the Attari border this week.

Until recently, Pakistan authorities were not permitting NORI visa holders to travel to India, citing their Pakistani passports. However, following discussions, an exception has been made, officials told Indian Express.

In total, 240 people from Pakistan, including the 50 NORI visa holders, entered India. Meanwhile, 140 others from India returned to Pakistan via Attari.