Real-life Veer Zara: Indian reaches Pakistan in search of his love, ends up in jail

Indian national Nehal Hamid Ansari's parents

Mumbai: An Indian who had been missing after he went to Pakistan's Kohat district in 2012 while searching for a girl whom he fell in love with, has landed in jail, it has now emerged.

Indian national Nehal Hamid Ansari, son of a school teacher Fauzia Ansarim - a teacher based in Mumbai - has confirmed about her son's arrest there.

According to a report published in 'The Indian Express', Fauzia said her lawyer on Thursday informed that her son faced a court-martial on unspecified charges in Pakistan.

The story dates back to 2012, when 'missing' Nehal was arrested by the authorities in the northwestern Pakistani district of Kohat.

Speaking to the newspaper, Fauzia said, ““We last spoke to him on November 10, 2012, when he told us that he would be returning soon as the visit to Afghanistan was not fruitful. However, after November 15, when his phone was not reachable, we lodged a complaint at the Versova police station.”

While speaking to news agency ANI, Nehal's father said they have met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj few times and got positive response.

The aggrieved mother said when she went through her son's emails, we came to know he wanted to help girl in Pakistan who was being oppressed by community leaders.

According to a 'DAWN' report, investigating officer Sajjad Khan of the Kohat police had informed Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Ikramullah Khan that the police’s Riders Squad had arrested Nehal Hamid Ansari, 28, in the city and shifted him to the Kohat Development Authority (KDA) police station for interrogation.

Fauzia, who had filed a petition in the Pakistani court, has maintained that her 28-year-old son had gone to Afghanistan in November 2012 in search for a job and then entered Pakistan to help a distressed girl.

The petition says that the Indian national got in touch with the girl through Facebook. Fauzia further says that some of her son's Pakistani friends had advised him to enter the country without visa.

Last year, the aggrieved mother had appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure her son's release.