For thousands of families living on both sides of the India-Pakistan border, the border long served merely as a dividing line. Their kinship ties, traditions, and marriage ceremonies allowed them to cross this line. However, in recent months, movement across the border has ceased. The situation changed after an incident in Pahalgam, which negatively affected their relationships. Due to the closure of visa services between the two countries, many weddings have stalled: despite engagements being made, ceremonies are not taking place, and families cannot see their loved ones.
Most Affected Groups
The Sodha Rajputs residing near the India-Pakistan border are most affected, whose daughters traditionally marry in India. Usually, people would arrive at weddings with a visa, having received blessings (shagun). But recently, this has become impossible.
Community Spread
Sodha Rajputs live in areas such as Badmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and some districts of Gujarat in Rajasthan, as well as in Sindh and Tarparkar in Pakistan. Although many of these Hindu families living in Pakistan have already moved to India, some have obtained citizenship, while others await it. These people have always moved between India and Pakistan. Most Sodha Rajputs living in Pakistan hold their daughters' weddings in India, which is related to their clan system (gotra) and the deteriorating situation in Pakistan.
Visa and Movement Situation
It is known that minorities in Pakistan face persecution, and they are also victims of this persecution. In this regard, the living conditions of Hindu Sodha Rajputs in Pakistan and the impact of tensions on their social ties are being examined.
How Entry into India Occurs
To understand the lives of the Sodha families, it is necessary to examine how they enter India from Pakistan. The Indian government issues 14 types of visas to Pakistani citizens, including a visitor visa. This visa is issued for a limited period and differs from a tourist visa. When a relative residing in India invites a Pakistani citizen or when a person travels for a wedding, they cross the border on a visitor visa. However, the government has now suspended all visa services (except diplomatic ones).
Reasons for Inability to Hold Weddings
Dilip Singh Sodha, who moved from Pakistan to India, stated that due to the closure of visa services, their weddings have not been held for about a year and a half. He noted that only very wealthy and influential people can enter India. The reason is that visas are issued extremely rarely, and the route through the Attari border crossing is completely closed. Those who do manage to come from Pakistan do so via Dubai and other places, which involves huge expenses for expensive tickets that are unaffordable for everyone. Therefore, people cannot come, and weddings are not held. He emphasized that they traditionally marry in India.
He compared the current situation to the Kargil War period, when weddings were not held for a long time. Previously, their relatives in Pakistan could travel freely, but difficulties arose after the changes in rules in recent years. After the attack in Pahalgam, the situation became completely paralyzed. Now, those whose engagements have taken place simply want permission to enter for their daughter and one man to hold the wedding, but movement through Attari is completely stopped.
Changes in Visa Application Procedure
Dilip Singh Sodha, who arrived from Pakistan in 2011 and obtained Indian citizenship in 2023, reported changes in the visa regime. Previously, entering India required providing a bank statement and other standard documents. Now, an A Grade Officer's signature is required for visa approval, which is practically impossible, and due to the lack of such authorization, they cannot cross the border.
According to Dilip Singh, two types of visas are currently issued: if a person wants to visit India, they must return within 90 days; if they stay longer, they will have to remain there and go through the visa application process again. However, even this path is inaccessible, and travel is only possible by plane. Furthermore, a visa is issued in Pakistan for Hindu women and Muslim men, while in India, visas may be issued for Muslim women or Hindu men.
Reasons for Holding Marriages in India
Dilip Singh explains why Sodha Rajputs living in Pakistan prefer to hold weddings in India. He points out that Sodha Rajputs living in Pakistan have relatives from other clans (gotra) in India. According to tradition, marriage must be concluded with a representative of another clan, and there are more such representatives in India. Among the four main clans of Sodha Rajputs are Ram Sodha, Bersi Sodha, Gangdas Sodha, and Surtan Sodha. Thus, marriages of Pakistani Sodha Rajputs take place in India.
Another reason is the persecution of Hindus in Pakistan. He added that although they are persecuted, Hindus who have converted to Islam continue to support them. He mentioned that imams and similar figures often create problems.
Living Conditions of Hindus in Pakistan
Hindu Singh Sodha, who moved to India several years ago and has been working with Hindus from Pakistan for 35 years, shared his opinion on the difficult situation of Hindus in Pakistan. He stated that besides forced conversion to another religion, Hindus live in daily humiliation. Hindu women are persecuted, kidnapped, and raped. Hindus are persecuted in various ways. Nevertheless, he also noted that the situation of Hindus arriving from Pakistan is not ideal. Hindus report that they are constantly labeled as 'kafir' and 'Pakistani', even after arriving in India. Due to lack of documents, they face difficulties and lack basic necessities such as food, housing, and medical care. The main reason for migration is severe oppression in society, and even affluent families strive to settle in India.
Geography of Hindu Residence
The largest number of Hindus in Pakistan reside in the province of Sindh. Thousands of people have moved from Pakistan to India. According to a BBC report, the Hindu population of Pakistan is 5.5 million, while the Pakistani Hindu Chamber calls this figure 8 million. Ninety percent of Hindus live in Sindh, with the highest concentration observed in Umarkot, Tarparkar, Mirpur Has, Sangar, and Badin. In areas like Umarkot, the proportion of Hindus exceeds 50 percent.
