LAHORE: Indian authorities handed over a 12-year-old Pakistani boy with hearing and speech disabilities to Punjab Rangers at the Wagah border crossing on Monday evening.

Hasnain Javed, a resident of Bhambay Jhugian in Lahore, was arrested by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) in May when he accidentally crossed over into India.

The boy’s family had lodged a report at the Shadbagh police station on May 2. Later, the family identified him after watching news on TV channels which reported that a boy with hearing and speech impairments was arrested by the BSF for entering India without legal documents and was sent to Amritsar jail.

On Dec 19, the Indian Juvenile Justice Board 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.

BSF arrested the 12-year-old when he accidentally crossed the border

Javed Iqbal, the boy’s father, told Dawn that he was feeling great as he met his son after eight months. He said he belonged to a poor family and was disappointed after knowing that his son had been arrested by the BSF, but the government’s efforts had reunited him with his son.

He quoted his son as saying that the Indian authorities had treated him well in confinement, adding that that he was in good health. “My son told me that he was roaming near the River Ravi and did not know when he crossed the border.”

Mr Iqbal thanked both the governments of Pakistan and India for reuniting him with his son.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2018