An Indian woman and her minor son were handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Attari-Wagah border crossing after they completed a jail term of over one year for illegally entering Pakistan.
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Wahida Begum and her minor son Faiz Khan, both victims of human trafficking, were arrested while crossing from Afghanistan into Pakistan via the Chaman border, reported PTI quoting Pakistani officials.
Wahida, a resident of Nagaon district in Assam, told authorities that after her husband’s death in 2022, she sought to move to Canada with her son. She reportedly sold her property and entrusted a substantial amount of money to an Indian travel agent who promised to facilitate their relocation.
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“After the death of my husband in 2022, I decided to take my son to Canada. For this purpose, I sold my property and paid a hefty sum of money to an Indian agent,” she said in her statement to police in Pakistan,” she said in her statement to police in Pakistan.
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Their journey took them to Dubai and then Afghanistan, where the agent absconded with their money and passports, leaving them stranded.
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“However, in Afghanistan, he took all of my money and our passports and managed to flee,” she said.
In an attempt to return to India, Wahida and Faiz crossed into Pakistan, where they were detained under the Foreigners Act.
“Later we were provided consular access and the process of verifying our citizenship took several months,” she said, adding that her Pakistani lawyer informed her mother back in India about their ordeal.
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Subsequently, Wahida’s family contacted the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and the Indian High Commission in Islamabad seeking their help for their safe return.
The Indian High Commission officials reportedly took up her case with the interior ministry in Islamabad.
Their repatriation was finally secured, and on Wednesday, Wahida and her son were handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) at the Wagah border.
Besides them, two other Indian citizens — Shabir Ahmed and Suraj Pal — were also handed over to the BSF on Wednesday.
Ahmed was released from Karachi’s Malir Jail while Pal was set free from Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail after completing their sentences.
With PTI inputs
