Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 11: Kerala Chief Minister A K Antony today said he was of the opinion that humanitarian treatment should be given to Indian-born Pakistani citizens currently staying in the state. Replying to a submission of CPI-M member Mathai Chacko in the state assembly here, Antony said the government's stand was that the aged people among them should be allowed to stay in the country.
The government's view had been conveyed to the Centre, he said. The pleas of all the Pakistani citizens in the state would be considered on merit and would be recommended accordingly to the Centre, he said.
Recently, a Pakistan passport holder C Ibrahim, hailing from Malappuram district, who was ordered to be deported by a local court, was taken to the Wagah border, but was returned as he did not have valid documents to prove his Pakistani citizenship. A total of 276 Pakistani citizens are reportedly staying in the state, most of them in Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur districts. Bureau Report