BATHINDA : The hopes of two siblings rent apart by Partition of reacquainting themselves following their brief meeting at Karatpur Sahib shrine in Pakistan this January after 74 years are fast diminishing. Even after 45 days of the Pakistan government providing visa to Sika Khan to visit his brother Mohamad Sadique, the former has not been allowed to enter Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah land border.
Anguished by the delay, the brothers bared their hearts during a video call on Sunday, entreating the Indian and Pakistan governments to let them meet each other before they breathed their last. Sika, 78, lives in Phulewal village of Bathinda district of Punjab and Sadique, 80, at Chak 255 Bogran in Faislabad (Pakistan).
The two brothers met for an hour at the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on January 10, thanks to the efforts of Pakistan-based YouTuber Nasir Dhillon. Going by their story, the Pakistan high commission on January 28 provided a 3 months’ visa to Sika Khan to visit his brother, but 45 days have already elapsed and Sika has not been allowed to cross due to certain travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
Sika, who was 4 years old when he was separated from his brother and father during Partition, told TOI that he was elated when the Pakistan government issued him a visa and was looking forward to reaching Pakistan, but now he is losing hope of ever visiting his brother. “I feel that we may not remain alive to meet each other if such behavior of the governments continues. ”
After the opening of Kartarpur Corridor -a passage between Dera Baba Nanak in India and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan Punjab — on November 8, 2019, many families separated in 1947 had a chance to meet each other.
Nasir Dhillon speaking to TOI over phone from Pakistan said that “an application was filed with Indian immigration authorities on February 7, seeking permission for Sika Khan to travel to Pakistan and they were informed that it is “under process”.
Anguished by the delay, the brothers bared their hearts during a video call on Sunday, entreating the Indian and Pakistan governments to let them meet each other before they breathed their last. Sika, 78, lives in Phulewal village of Bathinda district of Punjab and Sadique, 80, at Chak 255 Bogran in Faislabad (Pakistan).
The two brothers met for an hour at the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on January 10, thanks to the efforts of Pakistan-based YouTuber Nasir Dhillon. Going by their story, the Pakistan high commission on January 28 provided a 3 months’ visa to Sika Khan to visit his brother, but 45 days have already elapsed and Sika has not been allowed to cross due to certain travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
Sika, who was 4 years old when he was separated from his brother and father during Partition, told TOI that he was elated when the Pakistan government issued him a visa and was looking forward to reaching Pakistan, but now he is losing hope of ever visiting his brother. “I feel that we may not remain alive to meet each other if such behavior of the governments continues. ”
After the opening of Kartarpur Corridor -a passage between Dera Baba Nanak in India and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistan Punjab — on November 8, 2019, many families separated in 1947 had a chance to meet each other.
Nasir Dhillon speaking to TOI over phone from Pakistan said that “an application was filed with Indian immigration authorities on February 7, seeking permission for Sika Khan to travel to Pakistan and they were informed that it is “under process”.