1,295 Pakistani minorities get Indian citizenship in Ahmedabad, 500–700 cases pending

A total of 1,295 people from minority communities in Pakistan have been granted Indian citizenship in Ahmedabad over the past nine years, according to official data.

Over the past decade, 2,049 applicants who migrated from Pakistan to the city have applied for citizenship through the district administration. Of these, 1,295—primarily Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians have received citizenship from the Ahmedabad district collector.

Officials estimate that around 150 applicants from Pakistani minority communities apply for Indian citizenship in Ahmedabad each year, indicating a steady inflow of applications.

Migration linked to security and livelihood concerns

Many applicants belong to families that migrated to India during and after Partition, with a continued movement over the decades. Officials indicate that several migrants cite concerns over safety and the search for more secure living conditions as reasons for relocating to India.

In Ahmedabad, such families are largely settled in areas including Meghaninagar, Sardarnagar, Bapunagar and Naroda.

Delegated powers to district collectors

The central government authorised district collectors in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Kutch in 2016 and 2018 to grant citizenship to minority groups from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Citizenship is typically granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, but these powers were delegated to streamline the process at the district level.

Impact of CAA on eligibility

With the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, eligibility criteria were relaxed for non-Muslim minorities from the three countries who entered India before 2015.

The required residency period was reduced from 11 years to five years, contributing to a consistent flow of applications.

500–700 applications still under process

Officials said that around 500 to 700 applications are currently pending or under process.

The procedure includes document verification, followed by an oath of allegiance administered by the district collector. Background checks are conducted by central and state Intelligence Bureau agencies.

The entire process typically takes between six and eight months to complete.