Jodhpur: With all decks cleared for her return, an elderly Hindu woman from Pakistan, who had been stranded in India for nearly two years along with her son and sister-in-law, will finally go back home after she boards the Karachi-bound Thar Express post midnight.
Confirming their departure, ASP (CID) Bharat Meghwal said Hawa Devi (75) along with her son Mahesho and sister-in-law Moomal have been granted all required permissions, including from the Indian immigration authorities, to leave the country. Hawa Devi (75) of Mithi in Sindh Province of Pakistan had come to India on pilgrim visa in March 2014 to visit Haridwar.
After their trip to Haridwar, they had come to Jodhpur to meet their relatives. However, owing to some procedural glitches, they were stuck in Jodhpur after officials neither granted permission for departure nor refused. The officials also collected their passports which later expired along with visa permissions.
The local Foreign Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), had taken up Devi's case after the media reported the matter but she and her family members could not depart as they had not been granted permission from the state's home department. The state's Human Rights Commission had also taken cognisance of the matter on December 21 and called for a report from the officials. Hindu Singh Sodha, President of the Seemant Lok Sangthan, which has been fighting for the rights of Pakistani Hindu migrants, said Union Foreign Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had also spoken?to him seeking details of the case. "After submitting the report, she had invited me to Delhi and talked about the issue in detail. She had assured to pave the way for her departure. I am happy?that Devi would?be able to unite with her family after such a long time," he said.
On being informed that she will now be able to return home, an elated Devi said she was happy that she would finally be able to see her ailing husband back in Pakistan. "I am thankful to all who made it possible. But had it been in time, I would have been able to see my grandson who passed away a few months back," she said while leaving for the railway station.
