DAWN.COM

Today's Paper | December 01, 2024

Published 06 Jul, 2010 12:00am

Prisoners freed by India arrive in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD, July 5 Four former prisoners who were handed over by India to Pakistani authorities at Wagah in Lahore have arrived in Hyderabad.

Edhi Welfare Trust is making arrangements to send the four Misri Mal (Sanghar), Veerji (Tando Bago, Badin), Jetha Mal and Bheem Raj (Mithi, Tharparkar) to their native towns.

Of them Misri Mal had served the longest term - 10 years - in a jail in Indian Gujrat. He was a teenager when he accidentally crossed over into India near Nagarparkar along with a friend. He is now around 26 years.

The rest have been in imprison for two years.

Misri Mal remembered that fateful day when he was caught by Indias border security force while visiting Nagarparkar after rains along with a friend, Juma Pahlaj.

He said that he could not mark the difference between two territories as there was no wire or stone. Soon they were caught by Indian's border security force personnel who were patrolling in a tractor.

“That day, we were kept in a camp and tortured because they took us for spies,” he said.

Misri said that they were kept in Kuch Bujh centre where only Bangladeshi and Pakistani prisoners were interned. His friend Juma Pahlaj was released two years ago, he said.

He said he had talked to his elder brother, Harchand, over cell phone who started weeping. “Harchand didn't tell me whether they [parents] are alive,” he said.

Edhi centre's spokesman Mairajudidn said that Veerji and Bheem Raj were being shifted to their native villages while relatives of others were reaching Hyderabad to take them.

Read Comments

EASA lifts ban on PIA for flights to Europe: Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif Next Story