CM Fadnavis denies report of missing Pak nationals, while Dy CM Shinde asks them to leave India

PUNE Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday denied reports suggesting that 107 Pakistani nationals had gone missing in the state. He asserted that all Pakistani nationals have been traced and will be deported as per procedure.

Fadnavis was in Pune on an official two-day visit on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday, he attended the ‘Pune Urban Dialogue: Challenges and Solutions’ programme at Yashada.

“I want to make it clear that the reports of Pakistani nationals going missing are baseless, and such misleading information should not be spread,” he said.

“I assure you that all the Pakistani citizens have been traced, and the process of sending them out of the country is underway. Proper arrangements are being made, and no Pakistani citizen will stay here. I estimate that by today (Sunday) evening or tomorrow (Monday) morning, all of them will return to their country,” he added.

However, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reiterated that the 107 missing Pakistani nationals must leave the country immediately. On Sunday, Shinde was in Buldhana to address a rally.

“Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have directed that all Pakistani nationals living in India must leave the country immediately. This is not just their order — it is the wish of every Indian. Every Indian desire the same. Now, 107 Pakistani nationals are missing from Maharashtra. Wherever they are, they must leave our country immediately. Otherwise, our police will find them and take action.”

The clarification comes after reports regarding 107 missing Pakistani nationals from the state.

On Saturday, Maharashtra minister of state for home, Yogesh Ramdas Kadam, who was in Pune on an official visit, told Hindustan Times that about 5,000 Pakistani nationals are currently living in the state.

According to data, Nagpur has the highest number of Pakistani nationals with 2,458, followed by Thane (1,106), Jalgaon (393), Pimpri-Chinchwad (290), and Navi Mumbai (239).

Among them, approximately 1,000 individuals holding short-term visas have been instructed to leave India following recent directions from the Centre.

“According to my estimates, around 4,000 individuals hold long-term visas. In addition, about 1,000 Pakistani nationals are in Maharashtra on SAARC visas, engaged in activities such as film production, journalism, medical treatment, or personal work,” Kadam said.

“Those holding short-term visas have been asked to exit the country by April 27. Individuals who are in India on medical visas have been granted a brief extension and must leave by April 29,” he added.

The developments come in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 people.