LAHORE: India may hand over a 12-year-old Pakistani boy to Pakistani authorities at Wagah border crossing on Monday.

The boy with hearing and speech disabilities was arrested by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) for illegally entering India on May 17.

He was identified as Hasnain Javed, of Bhambay Jhugian, Lahore. He went missing on May 1 and a report was lodged by his family with the Shadbagh police on May 2.

Later, the family of the boy identified him after watching news on TV channels. They reported that a deaf and mute boy was arrested by BSF for entering India without legal documents on May 17 and was sent to Amritsar jail.

On Dec 19, an Indian Juvenile Justice Board had released the boy because he had completed his sentence for the offence of entering India without valid documents.

Later, this was conveyed to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

An official of the Child Welfare and Protection Bureau in Lahore told Dawn that the boy was released from jail by the Indian court.

He said the boy would be handed over to Pakistan Rangers at Wagah Border on Jan 1 (today).

He said they had received direction from the ministry of foreign affairs to complete all legal formalities for shifting the boy to his family.

He said they had also alerted the father of the boy.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2018