Lucknow, Apr 24 (PTI) Seema Haider, who made it to the headlines when she left Pakistan to marry her Indian lover, faces fresh scrutiny now that the Centre has ordered all citizens of that country to leave India before the month ends, in retaliation to Pahalgam attack.

Seema, who was already married back home in Sindh province, had illegally entered India via Nepal in 2023 along with her four children.

Despite the countrywide backlash, her lawyer is hopeful that she will be allowed to live in India, as, he claimed, she was no longer a Pakistani citizen.

“Seema is no longer a Pakistani national. She married Sachin Meena, a resident of Greater Noida, and recently gave birth to their daughter, Bharti Meena. Her citizenship is now connected with her Indian husband, and therefore the Centre’s directive should not apply to her,” Advocate AP Singh told PTI.

Singh argued that the Centre’s order was applicable only to those who currently hold Pakistani citizenship.

“Seema is in India, and she is Indian. A woman’s nationality is determined by her husband’s nationality after marriage,” he said.

He also pointed out that her case is distinct because it is already under investigation by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

“I have also filed a petition on her behalf with the President of India. She is out on bail and has been fully complying with the conditions set by the Jewar court, which include not leaving her in-laws’ residence in Rabupura, Greater Noida,” Singh added.

Citing international legal frameworks, Singh said, “The International Court of Justice and the Guardianship Act clearly state that a mother is the best guardian for a child. Would you want to send a daughter born in India to Pakistan?” He said Seema’s marriage and motherhood are part of a naturalised process.

“The birth certificate issued by the Uttar Pradesh government names Seema Meena as the mother and Sachin Meena as the father of the child. This reinforces her integration into Indian society,” the lawyer said.

Asked if these arguments are likely to secure Seema an exemption from the Centre’s directive, Singh said, “She qualifies for exemption. The Guardianship Act says the child must stay with the mother.” In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed, the central government suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals as part of a series of retaliatory steps.

A Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took the decision on Wednesday.

The Ministry of External Affairs also announced that all valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be cancelled effective April 27. Medical visas will remain valid only until April 29. All Pakistani nationals currently in India have been instructed to leave the country before their visa expires.

At present, Seema lives with husband, Sachin, in Uttar Pradesh’s Greater Noida. PTI SLM KIS VN VN VN