NAROWAL: The family of a boy, who had drowned while swimming in rainwater drain Baein, near Kotla Afghana village in Shakargarh tehsil, and his body floated into Indian territory with the river Ravi flow, has appealed to the caretaker prime minister and army chief to take measures for its return to Pakistan.

According to Harmat Ali, spokesman for Rescue 1122, Narowal, on August 20, two boys, Hamza Khan (15) and Hassam Khan (14), both residents of Mandikhel village, drowned in the rainwater drain Baein near Kotla Afghana village.

On being informed of the drownings, the Rescue 1122 divers launched a search operation in the drain, retrieved the body of Hassam the next day (Aug 21), after finding it three kilometres away from the place of drowning, and handed it over to his family, he says.

However, he says, the divers could not find the body of the other boy, Hamza, despite a three-day-long search operation.

Sufyan Khan, uncle of Hamza, told Dawn that on Thursday last (Aug 24), an officer of Rangers contacted him and got photos and other information about his deceased nephew.

He says that later the Rangers officials informed him, after confirming from Indian Border Security Force (BSF), that the body of Hamza was swept away by the rive flow into Indian territory and retrieved by BSF.

The rainwater drain Baein falls into the river Ravi near Kartarpur, seven kilometres away from Kotla Afghanan village.

The Ravi enters India territory near Jassar and after flowing a few kilometers again enters Pakistan.

Sufyan Khan says the body of his nephew might have been swept by Baein water flow into the river Ravi and floated into the Indian territory.

He says that he was told that despite passage of four days, the Indian BSF authorities were not returning the body of his nephew, causing more pain to his bereaved family.

The family of the deceased boy has appealed to interim Prime Minister Anwarul Haq Kakar and army chief Gen Asim Munir to take measures for return of the boy’s body as soon as possible, so that they could bury it in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2023