KOZHIKODE: Notices issued by city police asking three Pakistani citizens to leave the country will be rescinded. Kozhikode Rural SP said the decision was taken following instructions from the top. Of the three Pakistani citizens who had applied for long-term visas, instruction had already been sent out to withdraw the notice issued to Hamsa, a resident of Koyilandy.

Notices were issued to Hamsa, Kunjiparambath Khamarunnisa, a native of Vadakara, and her sister Asma. They had taken Pakistani citizenship for business and marital reasons.

Hamsa, 78, has a heart condition. He was born in Kerala. In 1965, he proceeded on a journey in search of work and ended up in East Pakistan, present-day Bangladesh. As he needed a passport to return home, Hamsa took Pakistani citizenship in 1972. He returned to Kerala after closing his business in 2007, and applied for Indian citizenship. But, except for a reply that his application had been accepted, no further procedures were initiated.

Khamarunnisa’s family returned to Kerala from Karachi in 1993, before moving to Vadakara in 2022. Asma lives in Chokli. Both say that after their visas expired in 2024, they applied for an extension. But nothing came of it.

The notices directed the three to visit the police station on Sunday with their residence permit documents. Hamsa’s life story had led to several debates. This prompted an order on revoking the notice issued to him. Police say that others with long-term visas are being asked to produce documents.