Pakistani Woman Receives Indian Citizenship After 20-Year Journey Under CAA

Poonam had alternated between Delhi and Rampur after her initial arrival in India.

Rampur/Lucknow:

After nearly two decades since leaving Pakistan for India, 38-year-old Poonam, who has been residing in Rampur on a long-term visa, has finally received Indian citizenship under the CAA, presenting an unforgettable Diwali gift for her family.

Poonam arrived in India in 2004 with her brother Gagan, fleeing increasing militancy in Pakistan's Swat region, and had been waiting years to gain legal recognition as an Indian citizen.

While her brother obtained citizenship in 2016, Poonam's application faced multiple rejections before finally being approved this year under the provisions of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Following her arrival in India, Poonam initially moved between Delhi and Rampur. She married Puneet Kumar, a local businessman, in 2005, and the couple now have a child. She continued visiting her family in Pakistan until 2013, when the lack of a valid Pakistani ID prevented her from renewing her passport, effectively ending her visits to her homeland.

In a conversation with PTI on Tuesday, Puneet Kumar expressed the family's joy at receiving confirmation of her citizenship from relevant agencies just before Diwali.

"It feels like a festival gift for our family. The timing made this Diwali even more special," he shared.

The couple indicated they would soon complete the remaining documentation.

"We will travel to Lucknow in the coming days to finish the remaining formalities of the citizenship process," Puneet added.

Poonam also expressed excitement about this new chapter in her life.

"Now I want to get my Aadhaar, PAN and other Indian identity documents as soon as possible so that I can truly feel like an Indian citizen," she stated.

It has been a lengthy wait for Poonam, whose journey from Swat to Rampur began when her father, a wholesale food trader, sent her and her brother to India in 2004 to ensure their safety as violence increased in the region.

The next time she visits her family home in Mingora, it will be "as an Indian citizen carrying an Indian passport," she said with anticipation.

Rampur Superintendent of Police Vidyasagar Mishra confirmed to PTI that Poonam's citizenship process has been completed.

"People on both sides are good. A handful of terrorists in Pakistan have given the country a bad name. As for us, we didn't find any problems on either side of the border," Puneet remarked, adding that Poonam's family in Mingora have no plans to relocate to India.