Purpose of visit: Why Pakistanis travelled to India before Pahalgam attack

The number of visitors from neighbouring country has declined but their average duration of stay has increased

After terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, India suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals as it blamed the neighbouring country for the attack.

 

All “existing valid visas” issued to Pakistanis were revoked from April 27; medical visas were allowed for two more days. Long-term, diplomatic and official visas remain valid for now without restrictions. (Long-term visas include those issued to Hindu Pakistani nationals). 

 

Indian visas for Pakistanis are ordinarily meant for travel to five places during each visit. Pakistanis, except those exempted, have to personally register at the nearest police station/ foreigners registration officer/ foreigners regional registration officer within 24 hours of reaching their destination. 

 

Around 53,000 Pakistanis came to India in 2001. The number increased to 124,924 in 2015 and fell to 39,018 in 2019 before the pandemic struck. In 2023, as many as 28,329 Pakistani tourists visited India. For comparison, 26,698 Indians visited Pakistan in 2019 and their number dropped to 17,405 in 2023. In 2023, as many as 59.5 per cent of Indians went to Pakistan for leisure and holiday and 34.6 per cent for pilgrimage. 

 

Data from India’s Ministry of Tourism shows that the share of tourist arrivals from Pakistan for business and medical reasons has declined since 2016. Only 10.3 per cent of Pakistani citizens travelled to India for business and professional reasons in 2016. The share declined to 1.8 per cent in 2023, barring a spurt in 2021. Pakistani nationals coming to India for medical treatment dipped from 6.35 per cent in 2016 to 0.9 per cent in 2023. 

 

The share of Pakistani citizens visiting India for leisure and holiday increased from 12.31 per cent in 2016 to 29.4 per cent in 2023. Almost two-thirds of the Pakistani nationals visited India for 'other' reasons, including visas given to students, diplomats, journalists, researchers and sportspersons. 

 

Tourism ministry’s data showed that the average duration of stay of Pakistani nationals in India has increased over the years: from 28.4 days in 2017 to 76.4 days in 2023. Pakistani tourists stayed for the longest time in India in 2023 compared to visitors from countries. But the average duration of stay of Indian nationals in Pakistan declined from 52.4 days in 2020 to 28.4 days in 2023.