Over 40 Pakistan nationals get India citizenship

Amidst hostility between India and Pakistan, here is some news any peace lover would love to hear. Pune district collector on Thursday gave Indian citizenship to over 40 Pakistani nationals staying in Pune for long.

Pune Collector Naval Kishore Ram said, "A total of 45 nationals from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have been given Indian citizenship. Most of them are Pakistani nationals."

According to officials, most of these applicants were from Sindhi community who had migrated to India but did not have citizenship. One of the applicants had come to India from Pakistan when he was only 40 days old and now he has spent 40 years in India but did not have the citizenship of the country.

Ram said, "There was an amendment in the Citizenship Act 1955 according to which the collector has been empowered to grant citizenship to persons from minorities. As per that amendment citizenship has been granted."