When more than 100 Pakistani nationals living in fear here found out that Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's recent visit to Pakistan was followed by the agreement to exchange prisoners, they held out hope.

But, they are ignorant that their plight will remain the same for long, at least until both countries reach a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard.

In Malabar earlier, according to officials, around 500 Pakistani citizens put up house illegally. Most of them left for Pakistan during the Partition. Even though these people hold valid records to establish themselves as Pakistani nationals, successive governments there have treated them as ``Indian intruders''.

``Thus, we are unable to live in any of these countries,'' says 80-year-old Kozhithungil Abdulla of Parappanangadi.

Police officials say they overlooked the fact that these old Pakistani citizenscontinued staying illegally here, on humanitarian grounds. ``We deported some of them to the Pakistani border when previous governments asked us to do so,'' says an official, adding that the department was aware about these people returning to their houses in Malabar districts soon after the deportation.

``Whatever you term them as, they are the most harmless people in society who wish to live and die amid their kith and kin here,'' says a Special Branch officer.

The cause of these old people has not been brought out to the open properly by any political party. The parties have failed to recognise the sad plight of these people, who are destined to live like foreigners in their motherland, as they are no more a vote bank.

``We used to go to other parts of the country before Independence in search of better jobs, as our hamlets failed to provide us good employment,'' says Koyamu, a Pakistani national living in Vengara.

They had moved from place to place looking for employment with better wages so thatthey support their families. Many of them reached Karachi -- then a part of united India -- and engaged in various trades like beedi-making, betel trade and hotel jobs.

Then the Partition took place and Karachi became a part of the newly formed Pakistan. ``Most of us were illiterate and unaware of the tumults of Partition,'' Koyamu said.

The Partition compelled them to take a Pakistani passport for their return journey to their native village. Being illiterate, most of them were not aware that the travel documents they obtained with the help of some travel agencies in Karachi, were Pakistani passports.

Today, though they live in their native villages here, some of them are ruthlessly chased by the police for being Pakistani citizens.

The Council for Social Justice And Rural Development, the only organisation which fights for the cause of these people, has sought immediate intervention of the Union Government.

``The Government should realise the fact that Pakistani passports were obtained for them bytravel agents misrepresenting them as Pakistani citizens by fraud, without their knowledge or consent,'' says K P Sasidharan Nair, president of the organisation.

According to him, these people just wish to live with their families in India.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders say they will do everything to help the Pakistani nationals, provided some organisation presents the issue before the Union Government properly.

``When we take an initiative on the matter, it will be misinterpreted,'' says BJP district president Mancheri Narayanan.