Soro: Razia Sultan, a 70-year-old woman living in Soro, Balasore district, is bewildered after being served a ‘Leave India’ notice, despite having lived in India for the past 57 years.

Visibly distressed, Razia said all her identity documents were issued by the Government of India, and she possesses no Pakistani documents. She is also a recipient of a Government pension.

Her son explained Razia was born in Bihar and later moved to Soro with her father, Haider Ali. She married and settled in Soro, and her family claims to have all necessary documents to verify her being a resident of India.

Responding to queries about her father, Haider Ali—who had reportedly accepted Pakistani citizenship—Razia’s son said the family has no information about his current whereabouts. He added Razia, who suffers from several health issues, would be left helpless if deported. “Where will she go if sent to Pakistan? Who will take care of her? We are extremely worried,” he said, adding Razia’s husband, Samsuddin, passed away from cancer in 2023.

Razia now lives with her two sons, their wives, and a five-year-old granddaughter. Her daughter-in-law said, “We are very tense. After staying here for 57 years, how can she suddenly be asked to leave? She got married here and never travelled to Pakistan. She doesn’t even have a visa or passport.”

Meanwhile, Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania confirmed on Saturday that 12 Pakistani nationals have been identified as residing in the state.

Per sources, Pakistani nationals were found living in various parts of Odisha—one woman each in Lalbag, Darghabazar, Mangalabag, and Tigiria areas of Cuttack. In Bhubaneswar, a Pakistani woman, Nagma Yusuf, who had been residing at BJB Nagar since her marriage to an Indian citizen in 2008 on a long-term visa, left the city today after being served a ‘Leave India’ notice.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Government of India cancelled visas issued to Pakistani nationals across 14 categories. All Pakistani nationals residing in different parts of Odisha have been instructed to leave the country by April 27. Those failing to comply will be treated as overstaying foreign nationals and could face penal action.