Girl sent back to India-held Kashmir
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MUZAFFARABAD: The Pakistani authorities repatriated on Monday a 12-year-old girl belonging to India-held Kashmir, three days after she strayed into Azad Jammu and Kashmir from across Line of Control.
Nasreen Bibi, a resident of Shoran village of Uri area in India-held Kashmir, had inadvertently crossed the LoC and reached Darra Haji Pir sector of AJK’s Haveli district on Dec 26.
She was spotted by Pakistani troops.
Know more: Indian BSF soldier says he had 'comfortable' stay in Pakistan
On Monday, the girl was handed over to Indian authorities at the Chakothi-Uri crossing point, 60km off here, after officials from the two sides held a flag meeting at the Kaman Bridge, which marks the divide between the disputed Himalayan region.
“I am so happy that I am reuniting with my family,” she said while responding to questions by reporters taken there to cover the event.
She was all praise for the cordiality of people and officials in AJK. “Everyone was so kind...They took care of me like their own daughters. They gave me new clothes as well,” she said.
Pakistani officials presented her gifts.
On the India-held side, a physician examined Nasreen Bibi before she was allowed to leave with her mother Saeeda Bibi, who had been waiting for her at the LoC.
Earlier on Nov 19, Pakistani officials had repatriated a 13-year-old boy at a similar meeting at the Chakothi-Uri crossing point.
Manzar Hussain, an eight-grade student from Jhanagar village in India-held Kashmir, had mistakenly crossed the LoC into the southern Kotli district on Nov 14.
Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2014
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On DawnNews
Comments (72) Closed
Dec 30, 2014 07:09am
This spirit of mutual cooperation should re-double and continue from both sides to makes the lives better in the sub-continent.
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Dec 30, 2014 07:48am
Humanitarian issues like this ought to be resolved by the two sides very speedily-three days are too much. One can imagine the agony of the family till the daughter reached home safely.
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Dec 30, 2014 08:01am
Table the issue of who owns Kashmir for next 20 years, we both (India and Pakistan) have far better issues, electricity, water, food, toilets, hygiene, jobs, corruption, What say you Pakistanis ?
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Dec 30, 2014 08:14am
Can the Dawn newspaper please help clarify:
How is it possible for a teenagers to simply walk across the LOC when we also hear of double series of electrified concertina wires on the LOC to prevent militants crossing from Pakistan into Indian Kashmir ?
If a girk of 12 can walk across, then, can't a militatnt walk across the otrher way just as easily...?
Can some reader help explain this ?
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Dec 30, 2014 08:33am
I pray both the country's solve there problem with the same spirit as shown in this case..
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Dec 30, 2014 08:35am
Im Azad Kashmiri and i would love to see whole Kashmiries united. I hope one day India hears the voices of Kashmiris in Indian held Kashmir and have free elections on Independence of Kashmiris to vote for freedom. At the moment i know exactly this is the reason why India is not talking Kashmir.
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Dec 30, 2014 09:17am
Very impressed by the pak humanitarian gesture !!
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Dec 30, 2014 09:27am
I thought that I would never say this but I would have to admit this news is a very pleasant suprise. I am thankful to Pakistani security officials for taking care of the girl....:-)
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Dec 30, 2014 09:31am
Reminds of a song from Indian movie, Panchi nadiyan pawan ke jhonkay....koi sarhad na inhain rokay....socho tum ne aur men ne kya paaya Insan ho ke
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Dec 30, 2014 09:34am
@American. Your comment makes a lot of sense. It is not the 12 year old innocent girls that are sent from across the border to AJK in Pakistan. There are greater troubles that our country is facing. Many of these troubles are certainly home grown for sure.
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Dec 30, 2014 09:35am
An appreciable gesture from otherwise hostile sides.
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Dec 30, 2014 09:36am
@American Exactly my question. Whenever we have any news of infiltration from Pakistan, they scream its not possible because of electrified fences. Just goes to show that its not possible to completely demarcate boundaries. And militants will continue to make use of them. Now that Lakhvi is also out and Saeed is calling for jihad against India in rallies organized by the govt of Pakistan, we have to get ready for more terrorism related incidents in India :(
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Dec 30, 2014 09:42am
Such a gesture was nice, but what spoils everything is the militants infiltrating into India and this causes tensions among the neighbours.
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Dec 30, 2014 09:44am
Thank you for taking care of our daughter. That was sweet. Thanks!
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Dec 30, 2014 09:45am
Why repatriate her??
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Dec 30, 2014 09:46am
There seems something suspicious that such young people wander into our territory. I would take action against this ongoing frequent javier.
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Dec 30, 2014 09:50am
@M G India Agreed
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Dec 30, 2014 09:55am
When a Muslim Kashmiri Indian strays into Pakistan, he or she is returned the same day by Pakistanis but when a nonMuslim Indian such as one from Gujarat strays in, they take 5 years to send him back.
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Dec 30, 2014 10:01am
@APrasad
this is a propaganda stuff. they kill hundreds of innocents and return a few for international consumption .but main question is to ask india how a girl can just walk into Pakistan and at the same time promising fight against terrorists. what indian security forces are doing?
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Dec 30, 2014 10:03am
@American ... "American", shouldn't you be asking your government this question since they put up the wires? Actually, I can ask the same question as you did, if a 12 yr girl can cross into Pakistan, wouldn't it be a lot easier for Indian spies to cross into Pakistan?
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Dec 30, 2014 10:09am
@Truth What about the voices of Pakistan held Kashmir? Let there be free elections in Azad Kashmir first.
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Dec 30, 2014 10:15am
This proves Pakistan and terrorists are different. We have dignified forces and we respect humanity.
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Dec 30, 2014 10:25am
I don't know how these people are able to cross the LOC when there is so much security installed
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Dec 30, 2014 10:31am
@American - There is no electrified fence along the LoC. Electrified fence is present in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat and in Jammu & Kashmir up to Samba sector, which is the International Border. Along the International Border, there is no army. the IB is guarded by the BSF. Along the LoC, the Indian Army is responsible. The LoC is not defined well and it is impossible to know in many cases whether you are standing in India or Pakistan. Sometimes the LoC is a water stream, sometimes a clump of trees and sometimes its a man made bunker or signpost and sometimes just a big rock. Along some lines of approach, there are anti-personal mines. However, most of the area domination is done by patrolling or ambush or fire. There is no physical border. The entire LoC cannot be manned. Its too big and the topography and foliage do not allow for easy movement of troops.
Thank you, Pakistan, for returning the child safely to her parents.
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Dec 30, 2014 10:34am
@Truth : My Dear Friend: I am also a kashmiri and would like to see Kashmir reunited. However, this might sound fascinating, but I don see this happening in near future, as both are controlled by different nations.
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Dec 30, 2014 10:55am
@American : There are sectors which are not wired, especially the marshy lands. Also, in a mountainous areas, it's very hard to make a boundary.
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Dec 30, 2014 10:56am
India held kashmir thats good we shud start calling POK pakistan held kashmir.........
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Dec 30, 2014 11:22am
Makes me wonder the safety of the border. How many terrorists are crossing border from East into Pakistan.
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Dec 30, 2014 11:26am
What if she had been Nisha Devi instead of Nasreen Bibi?Would she have got the same treatment?
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Dec 30, 2014 11:35am
Very good Pak Army and security forces! India must also reciprocate overwhelmingly. Salams
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Dec 30, 2014 11:57am
@Karthik and Malick too, how about you take the anti-pakistan lens off and look at it from the harshness of terrain point of view ? US with all its technology has not been able to successfully man and monitor the Mexican border and infiltration happens in 1000s on monthly basis. Nature didn't create geography that could be barb wired. Lets accept this reality and hope we can resolve our issues peacefully. I do strongly believe Kashmiris on both sides of the order are entitled to choose their own destiny. A right both India and Pakistan are denying to them.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:05pm
@Sunil ... If in Pakistani held Kashmir have free elections on Independence of Kashmir's to vote for freedom I don't think Pakistan will get single vote from the people of Pakistani held Kashmir to be a Pakistani.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:10pm
@American You missed the point. The LOC is not barbed wired throughout and there are check-posts for a reason.
She was spotted as as harmless individual by the troops. However, if an anomaly is spotted then the course action is to be taken likewise.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:14pm
@krishna prasad Pakistan returns Indian BSF solider and your army kills an elderly Kashmiri farmer.
Attitude needs to change on India but it's a high bar to be a human.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:17pm
Great gesture by Pakistan.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:19pm
A solution to Kashmir issue: make it a neutral place with no military. Both Pakistanis and Indians can travel to Kashmir without visa and vice versa for Kashmiris. Make it a friendship ground for Pakistan and India instead of a battle ground.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:24pm
@Harsh crossing international border & LoC are of different nature..pls understand
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Dec 30, 2014 12:28pm
@Prasath there are countless fishermen released from Pak side time n time again with the names as per your description...dont communalize every thing
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Dec 30, 2014 12:40pm
She was sent back to Safety, prosperity and better future
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Dec 30, 2014 12:53pm
@Prasath I would think the same humane treatment and love no matter what the religion or beliefs. We are all humans and wear the same skin don't we?
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Dec 30, 2014 12:54pm
for eye openers the Gilgit-baltistan is not part of azad jammu and Kashmir, its a separate region with separate idenity. I was wondering that all this time why gilgit-baltistan was separated from azad Kashmir. Well when I visited ghizer in gilgit last year the locals there hated being called Kashmiri they said they are gilgiti among others but definitely not Kashmiri and they dont speak Kashmiri language. they said they don't wish to be associated with Kashmir region something I didn't expected.
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Dec 30, 2014 12:58pm
Commendable . At least there are some sane people still doing their job.
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Dec 30, 2014 01:20pm
Well done Pakistan. A very proud moment.
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Dec 30, 2014 01:22pm
For all those arguing about militant infiltration, how about indian infiltration/meddling in Baluchistan and Northern parts of Afghanistan.
Clean up your own house first.
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Dec 30, 2014 01:29pm
@Gaurav Arya thanks for clarifying. Interestingly a common man as well as media do not understand the diff btw international border, working boundary and line of control. Quite often the NDTV will show two meters high barbed electrocuted wires while referring to cross border infiltration.
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Dec 30, 2014 02:45pm
This was indians daughter and pakistan showed respect to her.
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Dec 30, 2014 03:05pm
Happy to learn about such speedy repatriation of the child.
Well done Pakistan.
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Dec 30, 2014 03:36pm
It shows there is still hope for peace in our region.Thank you Pakistan for this magnanimous gesture.
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Dec 30, 2014 04:00pm
I blame J&K govt.for this ....... no development, no education for years, which kept ppls of kashmir isolated from the rest of india.... if ppls got educated, the development would have possible in J&K resulting in good economy of the state, if the J&K economy was good, if this girl definitely have android phone with compass, swiss army knife software, the question of this girl crossing border wasn't arise.......
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Dec 30, 2014 04:31pm
@American if the girl (12) crossed the LOC from indian held kashmir, then the responsibility lies on indian part not Pakistani.
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Dec 30, 2014 05:02pm
Excellent! Every human should be and must be respected irrespective of religion and cast. In everyday like we are tired so see divide between brothers, neighbors, cities, countries, cast, religion,....too tired now. Let us stop all these nonsense. Love everyone if you want live a peaceful life. We are all human with same happiness and sorrows. We hate simply we don't understand the other side.
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Dec 30, 2014 06:20pm
Both side of Kashmiris are very keen to unite together. Pakistan please return the part of Kashmir which you have illegally occupied to India.
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Dec 30, 2014 07:01pm
@American If you read it in a bit more detail, each time a civilian was spotted by Pak troops. The question is where were the Indians? Sleeping?
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Dec 30, 2014 07:04pm
@Karthik What about Indians supporting TTP and BLA? What about Mukti Bahini infiltrators that India supported in 1971, which was actually the start of proxy wars between the two countries.
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Dec 30, 2014 07:08pm
@A shah Incorrect. She was Pakistani daughter as well. Daughters and children belong to everyone.
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Dec 31, 2014 12:21am
just a thought might not be possibility ..please don't take me wrong.....Kashmir should be made independent !! if its the wish of its people.. jointly protected by India and Pakistan. We should then move on with our lives on the roads of peace and prosperity for all, including the Kashmirees who have sacrificed from both sides... It has gone for too long, both sides should be able to look at the bigger picture....
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Dec 31, 2014 10:46am
There is no such thing as India held Kashmir. All of Kashmir was a part of India long before any invaders set foot on these lands. If anything, the invaders need to return our lands to us.
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Dec 31, 2014 10:58am
@Prasath Only way to find out. Send a 12 year old Nisha Devi across the LOC. It seems very easy anyways.
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Dec 31, 2014 11:25am
The question is how she inter to AJK when there is strict security deployed from both side
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Dec 31, 2014 12:32pm
On one side the two countries show their human side and the desire to bond and be in peace. On the other side they will do everything in their power to destroy the other.
Onemanupship and competition is healthy and should be encouraged but the two countries always go overboard and do things that cost us many innocent lives, puts a lot of strain on our resources while generating a lot of profit for those supplying us arms, and makes us look foolish and immature to the rest of the world.
Throughout history, the subcontinent has been one of the richest and the most prosperous region in the world and it still can be. But we believe that it is best to follow our corrupt and power hungry leaders and allow poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, religious intolerance and other such evils to thrive.
The developed world probably laughs at us thinking here is a region that has the potential of becoming an economic super power and remain a world leader for centuries but they are so busy kicking each other that they shall forever remain third world countries.
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Dec 31, 2014 12:40pm
Nawaz is in power in Pakistan and BJP is in power in India. Narendra Modi and his party still seem to respect Vajpayee who was willing to enter into a compromise with Pakistan on Kashmir and resolve the issue once and for all.
Is it possible for Pakistan to initiate the talks and ask for may be the proposal of Vajpayee to be revived?
One evident thorn would be 26/11 as India has taken this hard stand on who they believe to be the masterminds of the attack. If Pakistan allows a fair trial in an international criminal court that shall hear and deal with the issue, it would allow both Indians and Pakistanis to move on.
Thereafter may be go ahead with the Kashmir compromise. As the Kashmir compromise would be an all out win for Pakistan as under the compromise, India would cede territory to Pakistan and in exchange Pakistan would have to recognize the remaining part of Kashmir held by India as its sovereign territory. This is not a bad bargain for Pakistan as Jammu and Leh have considerable populations of Hindus and Buddhists, respectively, who are in majority in their respective regions, who do not wish to be a part of Pakistan.
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Dec 31, 2014 05:47pm
@Rehan I wish there could be some agreement and the matter closed and then we could improve relations.
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Dec 31, 2014 08:56pm
@American
Check US-Mexican border and see how easy it is to cross boarders...
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Dec 31, 2014 10:42pm
@Old Ravian Great thoughts... Impractical ....
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Jan 01, 2015 02:04am
@doniya True.
They have suffered a lot in Gilgit and Baltistan.
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Jan 01, 2015 02:29am
This is the reason we always love Pakistan and the people living there, if a girl from AJK would have crossed over it would have made a big issue by Indian media and the poor child would have ended up in a jail. great gesture from Pakistan and AJK, Hats off stay blessed
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Jan 01, 2015 04:08am
This incident shows that Pakistan is a Regional Super Power.Pakistan is not afraid of anyone.No country challenge Pakistan in SOUTH ASIA.
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Jan 01, 2015 05:49am
@Prasath, she would have been returned quickly with respect. Do not try to create mischief.
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Jan 01, 2015 08:13am
This brotherly Behaviour between India and PAKISTAN may last permanently,Inshallah !
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Jan 02, 2015 01:40am
@M G India how about ending it by a UN sponsored plebiscite. Process is democratic, impartial and respects the kashmiri nations will. What say you, Indians. Then let's get on with bettering the lives of our people.
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Jan 02, 2015 01:46am
@Hurst yes to Pakistan territory still to be resolved soon.
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Jan 02, 2015 06:14pm
@American
As far as i know .. the fencing is not exactly on the LOC .. but few kilometers inside Indian side of LOC.
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