SIALKOT: Muhammad Yaseen received a warm welcome upon his arrival at his native village of Chaahal in Pasrur tehsil on Saturday after 11 years of detention in an Indian jail.

In 2007, Yaseen had mistakenly crossed into Indian territory via the Sialkot Working Boundary and was apprehended by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF).

For next 11 years, Yaseen had been languishing in an Indian jail despite completing his two-year imprisonment.

Take a look: Six Pakistanis return after completing jail terms in India

The villagers showered rose petals on him and distributed sweets in celebration.

Yaseen, who is now 45 years old, revealed the miserable condition of the prisoners — especially Pakistanis — in the Indian jail.

He claimed that the [Pakistani] prisoners were tortured physically by the jail officials and were kept hungry for days. They were not allowed to offer prayers as well, he added.

“I thank Allah Almighty that I have reached back home safely after spending eleven years of my life in Indian jail,” he said, adding that he was very happy to be reunited with his family.

Meanwhile, the BSF on Saturday handed back an aged Pakistani national to the Punjab Rangers as a goodwill gesture.

According to Punjab Rangers, 75-year-old Sain Khan, son of Nathu Khan, hailing from village Nakhnaal-Charwa-Sialkot had mistakenly entered Indian territory

through the Working Boundary near Charwah Sector during the night of June 22.

After preliminary interrogation, the BSF officials on Saturday handed him back. Later, the Punjab Rangers reunited the old man with his family.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2018