An Indian woman and her minor son were returned to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Attari-Wagah border crossing after serving over a year in a Pakistani jail for illegal entry into the country.
Wahida Begum and her son Faiz Khan, victims of human trafficking, were arrested while crossing from Afghanistan into Pakistan via the Chaman border, as reported by PTI citing Pakistani officials.
“After my husband passed away in 2022, I decided to relocate to Canada with my son. I sold my property and paid a substantial amount to an Indian agent,” Wahida, from Nagaon, Assam stated to Pakistani police.
Their journey led them to Dubai and then Afghanistan, where the agent disappeared with their money and passports, leaving them stranded.
“In Afghanistan, he took all my money and our passports and fled,” she said.
Attempting to return to India, Wahida and Faiz crossed into Pakistan, where they were detained under the Foreigners Act.
“We were later given consular access, and the citizenship verification process took several months,” Wahida explained, adding that a Pakistani lawyer notified her mother in India about their situation.
Wahida’s family then sought assistance from the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and the Indian High Commission in Islamabad for their safe return.
The Indian High Commission pursued her case with the interior ministry in Islamabad, leading to their eventual repatriation. On Wednesday, Wahida and her son were handed over to the BSF at the Wagah border. In addition to Wahida and Faiz, two other Indian nationals, Shabir Ahmed and Suraj Pal, were also transferred to the BSF on Wednesday. Ahmed was released from Karachi’s Malir Jail, while Pal was freed from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail after completing their sentences.
