The Supreme Court has stayed the deportation of a Bengaluru-based Accenture employee, Ahmed Tariq Butt, and his family, after the government ordered their removal amid a wave of diplomatic actions targeting Pakistani nationals following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Mr Butt approached the apex court, asserting that despite holding Indian passports and Aadhaar cards, his six-member family had been directed to leave the country. Responding to his plea, the Court ordered verification of their documents and instructed that no coercive action be taken against him in the meantime.

Mr Butt, who holds an MBA from IIM Kozhikode, was also adviased to seek further relief from the High Court — a move contested by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. However, the Court recognized the "human element" in the case and clarified that its interim order would not set a precedent for similar matters, amid growing concerns over Indian nationals — particularly those with Muslim names — facing deportation after visa cancellations.

During Friday's hearing, Justice Surya Kant questioned Mr Butt about his origins. Mr Butt explained that he was born in Mirpur, Pakistan, and migrated to India in 1997 with his father, who held a Pakistani passport.

Upon arrival in Srinagar, he surrendered his Pakistani passport to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and later obtained Indian citizenship and a passport. His other family members arrived in 2000 and similarly secured Indian citizenship.

Mr Butt told the Court that he and his siblings were educated in private schools in Srinagar and that all family members possess valid Aadhaar cards.

Despite this, Mr Butt said a recent notice from the Home Ministry ordered them to leave the country, wrongly alleging that they had overstayed their visas.

The government's move comes after the Pahalgam terror attack, where four Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national. In response, India has canceled all visas for Pakistani nationals — except those granted for long-term stays and to Pakistani Hindus — and vowed strong retaliatory action. Additional measures included closing the Indo-Pak border, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, and halting the Simla Agreement. Pakistan retaliated by expelling Indians and shutting its airspace. Amidst this heightened tension, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated India's resolve to defeat terrorism, granting the military operational freedom to respond appropriately.