Indian army hands over AJK boy to Pakistan: report

Published
39

SRINAGAR: A 11-year-old boy of Azad Jammu and Kashmir who had strayed into India-held Kashmir was repatriated by Indian army officials on Tuesday, said a report published on The Times of India.

Sameer Kayani — a resident of Laswa in a town called Athmuqam — was intercepted by Indian troops as he inadvertently crossed into India last week on Thursday, TOI quoted army officials as saying.

The report also quoted officials as saying that a hot line message was urgently sent to Pakistan after the boy was intercepted to inform the Pakistani army of Sameer's safety and well-being.

The message also requested a flag meeting to ensure Sameer's return to his family at the earliest, the report added.

"The flag meeting was held at the Teetwal Crossing Point and the boy was handed over to representatives of Pakistan Army by the unit based at Tanghdar frontier area," TOI quoted the officials as saying.

According to the TOI report, the Indian army also gave Kayani a pair of new clothes and sweets for his family across the border.

Dawn.com has reached out to the Foreign Office, and is awaiting a response on the subject.

Yesterday, Pakistani authorities had handed over two Kashmiri youths to Indian officials, a week after the teenagers strayed into AJK from across the Line of Control (LoC).

Imtiaz, 18, and Saleem, 17, were handed over to the Indians during a flag meeting between military officials of Pakistan and India at the Chiliyana-Titwal crossing point.

Imtiaz, a resident of Bandipura, had entered Neelum Valley and Saleem, who belongs to Karnah in India-held Kashmir, had arrived in Leepa Valley of AJK after inadvertently crossing the LoC.

Gift boxes, clothes, bags and cricket bats were also offered to the young men.

Also read: Two boys repatriated to India-held Kashmir

Opinion

Editorial

Fixing bond markets
Updated 01 Oct, 2026

Fixing bond markets

Pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, retail investors, and eventually, foreign investors must become bigger participants in the market.
Call centre rackets
01 Oct, 2026

Call centre rackets

A NUMBER of recent raids conducted by the authorities in different cities point to the growing threat fraudulent ...
Homeward bound
01 Oct, 2026

Homeward bound

FIVE months after Somali pirates captured an oil tanker carrying a 19-member multinational crew, Somali maritime...
Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...