Two days after the UK opposition member of the British Parliament Debbie Abrahams was denied entry into India and deported to Dubai, the British lawmaker has now reached Pakistan as she is said to attend a meeting held by Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Pakistan Foreign Minister is said to hold a press conference with British MPs of All Party Parliamentary Group on Kashmir which includes Debbie Abrahams.
Previously in an interview, Abrahams admitted that she wanted to visit POK to witness the human rights situation there. She is also expected to address a press briefing with Pakistan's foreign minister.
Debbie Abrahams deportation
According to the Indian government, the UK opposition member of the British Parliament who alleged that she was "unjustifiably denied entry to India", did not carry a valid visa.
Later a government source said, "Her (Debbie Abrahams) e-Business Visa was revoked on February 14, 2020, on account of her indulging in activities which went against India's national interest. The rejection of the e-Business Visa was intimated to her on 14th February."
Debbie Abrahams landed at New Delhi's international airport on Monday, February 17 and claimed she was unable to clear customs after her Indian visa was rejected. She also raised questions as to the Indian government revoked her visa after it was granted to her. Abrahams also wished to know why she was not granted a visa on arrival.
HCI issues statement
The High Commission of India on issued a statement over the government's decision to deport Labour party UK MP Debbie Abrahams from Delhi.
Taking to Twitter, the HCI said Abrahams did not hold a valid visa and hence she was requested to return. They further mentioned that no provisions have been made for 'Visa on Arrival' for the UK nationals in India.
Why was Debbie Abrahams asked to return?
Government sources said that Abrahams was not in the possession of a valid visa at the time of her travel to India and she was accordingly requested to return. She was issued an e-business visa on October 7, 2019, which was valid till October 5, 2020, to attend business meetings, sources said.
Her e-business visa was revoked on February 14 on account of her indulging in activities which went against India's national interest, a source said.
"The rejection of the e-business visa, sources said, was intimated to her on February 14, way before she boarded a plane to India. The grant, rejection, revocation of visa/electronic travel authorisation (ETA) is the sovereign right of any country," officials in New Delhi said.
'E-business visa for business meetings, not for tourism'
"The previously issued e-business visa was meant for business meetings and not for tourism or visiting family and friends as claimed by her. This is not permitted as per the rules and a separate visa request has to be made," a visa official said adding that there is no provision of 'visa on arrival' for UK nationals at the airport.
Interestingly, the opposition leader and Congress parliamentarian Abhishek Singhvi justified Abrahams deportation. Terming it "necessary", Singhvi who is also a noted lawyer, tweeted: "She is not just an MP but a Pak proxy known for her clasp with Pak govt and ISI. Every attempt that tries to attack India's sovereignty must be thwarted."
Debbie's views on Kashmir
Kashmir snowfallSrinagar recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius against the previous night's minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, while the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir was the coldest place in the valley with a minimum of 6.5 degrees Celsius.Twitter
She has been critical of the Indian government for revoking Kashmir's special status last August, which allowed the region to make its own laws, in an attempt to integrate the country's only Muslim-majority region more fully.
Abrahams was among a group of MPs who issued formal letters following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 in August last year.
"We are gravely concerned at the announcement by Indian Home Minister, Amit Shah, that Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, has been removed by Presidential Order," the Opposition MP had noted in her letter to the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at the time.
