A 60-year-old Pakistani national, Fatema Bibi, was arrested by West Bengal Police on Saturday from the Kuthir Math area of Chandannagar in Hooghly district for allegedly overstaying in India for 45 years after arriving on a tourist visa in 1980.

Fatema, originally from Rawalpindi, Pakistan, entered India with her father on a tourist visa and settled in Chandannagar.

In 1982, she married Indian citizen Muzaffar Mallick, a local bakery owner, and has since lived with her husband and two daughters, both of whom are now married.

Fatema’s family has claimed she was born in Nalikul, Hooghly, and that her father had temporarily moved to Rawalpindi for work before returning to India with her.

They argued that she has no ties left in Pakistan and possesses valid Indian identity documents, including a voter ID, Aadhaar card, and PAN card.

They also raised concerns over her health, noting she is due for knee surgery and requires regular medication.

Police sources revealed that Fatema was declared “missing” by the Special Branch in 1981, a year after her visa was issued.

Her arrest comes in the wake of heightened scrutiny of Pakistani nationals residing in India following recent terrorist attacks on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

The Indian government has reportedly intensified its efforts to identify and repatriate Pakistani citizens who are living illegally in the country.

Neighbours expressed shock over the arrest, describing Fatema as a longstanding and peaceful member of the community.

Reacting to the incident, Union Minister and BJP West Bengal President Sukanta Majumdar criticized what he called “lax surveillance” by the state government.

He demanded the identification and deportation of all Pakistani nationals illegally residing in West Bengal and across India.

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