Despite heightened tensions between Pakistan and India leading to the closure of the Wagah-Attari border, the repatriation of citizens from both sides continues.

Following the cancellation of visas due to escalating hostilities, 191 Pakistani nationals returned from India via Wagah on Friday, while 287 Indian citizens departed from Pakistan for their homeland.

Tensions flared after an alleged terror incident in India, which the Indian government has blamed without investigation, bringing the two nuclear-armed nations dangerously close to conflict. The situation has also caused distress for ordinary citizens on both sides of the border.

Indian nationals returning from Pakistan via Wagah criticised the Modi government for acting hastily, saying a proper investigation could have prevented the current crisis. Many of them had travelled to Pakistan to reunite with loved ones after decades, only to have their hopes shattered.

Pakistan hits back at India: closes airspace, seals border, cancels visas

Several women, who had visited their maternal homes in Pakistan, also expressed frustration at the Indian government’s stance. One woman, Yasmeen, shared that her niece, originally from Karachi, was not allowed to return to India, and she appealed to the authorities to facilitate her return.

Citizens from both countries voiced a common concern: whenever people-to-people contact begins to improve, such “manufactured incidents” emerge and push relations back into tension.