Guj: Pak boy's long wait to re-unite with his family

Ahmedabad, Sep 8: 18 months after he was detained along with a group of Pakistani fishermen, a teenager is still awaiting to go back home to his family as his verification could not be carried out, though his father was repatriated in July.

Ghulam Hussain Thero (13), son of Jumman Thero, is lodged in a juvenile observation home in Jamnagar since March last year, Superintendent of Police in Devbhoomi Dwarka district Jagdish Patel told PTI.

"The boy has not been released due to want of some verification process by both the countries," Patel said. According to a senior police official, Ghulam Hussain was detained along with 88 fishermen, including his father Jumman, after they had crossed Indian territorial water off Gujarat coast in Devbhoomi Dwarka district last year.

The Indian Coast Guard had apprehended the fishermen. "However, almost all other persons including the boy's father were released after their identities were verified in a verification process conducted by representatives of the External Aaffairs Ministry of both the countries in Jaipur last year," said the official.

88 fishermen including Jumman Thero were released in July this year and sent back to Pakistan via Wagah border. "But for some reasons Ghulam Hussain's identification process was not conducted and he had to remain in the Jamnagar observation home," the official added.

The case of 23-year-old Geeta, a deaf and mute Indian girl stranded in Pakistan after she mistakenly crossed over 13 years ago, and now Pakistani teengaer Ghulam Hussain have drawn attention following the success of Salman Khan-starrer film Bajrangi Bhaijaan, where the actor reunites a physically challenged Pakistani girl with her family.

PTI