India releases Pakistani boy with Bollywood dreams

Wagah Border (Amritsar), Nov 21 : The 15-year-old Pakistan boy, Nasir Sultan, who had illegally crossed over to India to meet Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan, was released after nearly three months of detention and sent back to his country on Friday. Sultan crossed over to Pakistan at Wagah border check post.

Hailing from Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, Sultan was detained under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act as he had forayed into India's Ferozepur sector in Punjab without valid documents or passport.

Longing to go back home a visibly happy and relieved Sultan said that there are hundreds of other young boys in Pakistan who want to meet Shahrukh Khan.

Sultan who got a taste of the international legalities between India and Pakistan in the past few months said that peace should be the order of the day and the animosity between the two countries should come to an end.

"It is okay, there are many others like me who come here to meet Shahrukh Khan and are not able to meet him. It would be good if the Pakistan Government is able to call Shahrukh Khan there. But I want to say that there should be no animosity between the two countries. Only then would we be able to establish peace and harmony," said Sultan.

The teenager had crossed the International border in school uniform and was taken into custody and kept in a Juvenile Home in Punjab's border district of Faridkot before being handed over to Pakistan Rangers at the Joint Check Post at Attari near Amritsar.

Acknowledging that he had committed a mistake by not getting the necessary documents Sultan had no regrets at his failed attempt.

"I would have felt bad had I got all the necessary documents and would not have been able to meet Shahrukh Khan even then. But now, I did commit a mistake by crossing over without a passport, so, it is okay," said Sultan.

Earlier this month, Ansar Burney, one of Pakistan's leading human rights activists, had come to India to seek the release of Sultan highlighting the innocent ambitions of the boy.

Burney was also instrumental in successfully releasing Kashmir Singh who was sentenced to death in Pakistan on terror charges.

India and Pakistan have formed a Pakistan-India Judicial Committee on Prisoners to facilitate the release of prisoners languishing in jails in either of the countries.

ANI