The Hindu : This Id too they are in jail

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 02, 2004

National

National

This Id too they are in jail

By Our Staff Reporter

JAMMU, FEB. 1. Relations may have improved between India and Pakistan but the lot of innocent border residents who inadvertently strayed into each other's territory and remained trapped is yet to improve.

Take the case of Abid Ali (13) and Ali Raza (14). The two cousins have to celebrate their third Id-ul-Azha in succession in a Jammu jail tomorrow. They set out on August 18, 2001, from Gurali village in Gujrat district of Punjab Province of Pakistan to visit their maternal aunt in Sialkot district, close to the International Border. From Sialkot bus stand they wandered into Ranbir Singh Pura sector. When they asked the villagers for direction, the locals handed them over to police. Though interrogation proved their innocence and a court ordered the authorities to arrange for their deportation as soon as possible, they are still languishing in the Jammu jail. Repeated attempts by the authorities to send them back to Pakistan have failed.

Another unfortunate victim of such a slow deportation procedure is Amir Ali, a resident of Multan area of South Western Pakistan. After a year in jail for illegally crossing into the Indian territory Amir went to the Ramgarh police post near the International Border. Thanks to the "laidback" deportation procedures, Amir is now back in the Kotbhalwal jail here.

An electrical engineering student of Lahore University, Amir had gone to visit his maternal uncle in Qabirabad village of Sialkot district. He was arrested after he lost his way and entered the Indian territory via Ramgarh sector in December 2001.

Amir Ali's family was informed about his whereabouts recently. Naseeba, his sister, told The Hindu over phone from Multan that the family was anxious to celebrate Id-ul-Azha festival with him.

Ram Prakash (51), a resident of Bishnah area of Jammu region, is lodged in a Lahore jail, because he strayed into the Pakistani territory while returning from work on June 14, 1997. Till recently Ram had been writing to his family regularly. Not any more. His wife, Raj Kumari, says: "I have contacted almost everybody — from bureaucrats to the Chief Minister — but to no avail. We urge the two countries to release the innocents and end the pain of our families."

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