JAIPUR : Gajanand Sharma, a Jaipur resident who languished in a Pakistan jail for over 36 years,
is free. Sharma was one of the 29 Indians handed over to the BSF at Wagah on Monday. His family had, for long, thought he was no more after he had gone missing in 1982. For his wife Makhni Devi and sons Rakesh and Mukesh, Monday was nothing short of a miracle. Makhni Devi is busy carrying out Teej rituals as her prayers have been answered.Rakesh says he was a kid when his father disappeared. “It was only when the police came to us a few months ago to confirm my father’s identity that we realised he was in a Lahore jail.”
Jaipur Rural SP Rameshwar Singh says his men reached out to the Sharmas after he got an inquiry from the police headquarters on May 1 about Gajanand Sharma.Makhni Devi was unable to register a missing complaint as illiteracy came in her way. It was tough times for the family of three as Mukesh and Rakesh were barely 12 and 15 when their father went missing.“We had never stopped praying for his return and now my mother is very happy. She has instructed her daughters-in-law to cook the best dishes and also prepare a room for him. We are, though, unsure how he will react....,” Mukesh says.
Vipra Foundation Punjab president Sahdev, who is escorting Sharma to Jaipur, says Sharma is physically fine but mentally a bit unstable. “It is unsure how he will behave when he meets his family. He will be in Jaipur by Tuesday morning.” It still remains a mystery as to how Gajanand reached Pakistan. According to a PTI report, Gajanand was sentenced to two months in jail but ended up for as many as 36 years due to lack of Consular access.
Nevertheless, his release gives hope to families of many others whose kin are behind bars in Pakistan. Jamaldeen, a resident of Jaisalmer, is one such case. His wife Hanifa is unsure whether her husband is still alive. The family claims Jamaldeen was grazing cattle when he crossed the border. Similar is the story of Bhagu Singh, a resident from Barmer. He had crossed the international border while gathering wood.
India, Pakistan release prisoners
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan released prisoners on Monday in reciprocal goodwill gestures on the eve of the 71st anniversary of Independence of both countries. Twenty-six Indian fishermen and three civil prisoners were handed over to BSF officials at Wagha-Attari border. “We thank authorities in Pakistan for their invaluable assistance,” tweeted the Indian high commission in Islamabad.
India released six Pakistani civil prisoners and one fisherman. As per lists exchanged between the two foreign ministries on July 1, there were 53 civilian prisoners and 418 fishermen — Indians, or believed to be Indians — in Pakistani jails, while there were 249 Pakistani civilians and 108 fishermen in Indian jails. The two countries exchange lists of prisoners twice every year on January 1 and July 1. Ramananda Sengupta