BARMER, April 29 -- In the past 72 hours, 975 Pakistani nationals, who are reluctant to return, have applied for stay extensions in Rajasthan, officials aware of the matter said on Monday. The Foreign Registration Officers (FRO) across three western Rajasthan districts have registered these applications for long-term visa extensions and new registrations, they said. Officials confirmed that these applicants are now permitted to remain in India and will not be required to return to Pakistan. Of the 975 applications received during the special drive, 362 were from Jodhpur, 546 from Jaisalmer, and 37 from Barmer, they added. The development took place after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, following which the Centre ordered Pakistani nationals to leave the country within 48 hours. However, a large number of Pakistani migrants who came to India seeking permanent settlement have pleaded for relief. Many have approached the authorities requesting permission to stay in India and urging the acceptance of their long-term visa applications, officials said. The Pakistan migrants said that their families are already settled in India and that before migrating, they had sold all their belongings in Pakistan, leaving them with no ties to their country of origin. They asserted that they have no intention of returning to Pakistan and have applied for long-term visas in order to continue living permanently in India. The Foreigners Registration Officer in Jodhpur confirmed that in the last three days, 362 LTV applications from Pakistani citizens have been accepted, and their registration has been completed, with this process continuing uninterrupted. Narendra Singh Meena, superintendent of police in Barmer, said that over the past three days, 37 Pakistani nationals - who were in India on pilgrim or tourist visas - have refused to leave and have applied for long-term visas. The Foreign Registration Officer (FRO) of Jodhpur, in an official statement, said that Pakistani nationals residing on LTVs need not leave the country as per the latest directions from the MHA....