Citizenship Row Emerges Over Pakistani-Born Woman in Andhra Pradesh

Following the Indian government’s decision to repatriate Pakistani citizens residing in India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, a notable incident has surfaced involving a long-term resident of Andhra Pradesh with Pakistani citizenship.

According to details, Mahaboob Peeran, originally from Ballari in Karnataka, migrated to Pakistan during the Partition. He had two sons and two daughters born there. His younger daughter, Zeenath Peeran, was married in 1989 to her maternal nephew Rafeeq Ahmad, a resident of Dharmavaram in Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh. The couple initially had a son.

In 1998, Zeenath became pregnant again. Around that time, she received news that her father in Pakistan was unwell. She travelled to Pakistan to visit him. However, before she could return, the Kargil war broke out between India and Pakistan, leaving her unable to return immediately. As she was in the later stages of pregnancy, she remained in Pakistan and gave birth to a daughter, Ramsha Rafeeq.

Zeenath returned to Dharmavaram in 2005. Since Ramsha was born in Pakistan, she acquired Pakistani citizenship. Despite continuing her education in Dharmavaram after arriving in India, Ramsha did not pursue Indian citizenship initially. In 2018, her Pakistani citizenship was renewed and is valid until 2028.

In 2023, Ramsha applied for Indian citizenship, but her application was rejected. This development has now raised questions: Can a person holding Pakistani citizenship continue to reside in India? Will the authorities deport her? The situation has become a subject of public discussion.