MUZAFFARABAD: Family members of a resident of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), who inadvertently crossed the Line of Control (LoC), on Sunday appealed to civil and military authorities in Pakistan to take urgent measures for his repatriation, fearing that Indian forces might harm him by falsely branding him a militant.

Hassam Shahzad, who reportedly suffers from a mental illness, had entered a house located near the heavily militarised LoC in the Tetrinote sector of Poonch district on Saturday afternoon.

Startled by the presence of a stranger, women from nearby houses raised a commotion, causing the 30-year-old to panic and flee. In his confusion, he inadvertently crossed the unmarked border and ended up in Indian-held territory, where he was apprehended by security personnel.

His family became aware of his situation after news portals and social media accounts in India-held Kashmir uploaded his picture, identifying him as a Pakistani “intruder”.

The photo showed him barefoot, kneeling with his hands tied with rope.

Expressing concern for his safety, the family feared that the Indian army, especially amid the ongoing elections in the disputed region, could inflict serious harm on him by labelling him as an infiltrator or militant.

“Given the current situation and the desperation of Indian forces to find pretexts for accusations, we are extremely worried about his safety,” said Rashid Iqbal, Hassam’s cousin.

Mr Iqbal said Hassam had been struggling with personal issues and had previously undergone treatment at a rehabilitation centre in Mirpur, but had not fully recovered.

“Today, someone informed me […] Hassam is now in occupied Kashmir. Given his physical and mental state […] I believe that instead of heading back, he panicked and fled towards the LoC, crossing into the other side,” said Mr Iqbal.

When contacted, Poonch Dep­uty Commissioner Syed Mum­taz Kazmi said they had sent a report regarding the inadvertent crossing to the higher authorities and were hopeful of appropriate action on their part at the earliest.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2024