Pakistan cooperating with India for Geeta's return

Islamabad, Sep 25: We are "fully cooperating" with the Indian High Commission for the return of an Indian girl, who entered the Pakistani territory 13 years ago by mistake, Pakistan's foreign office has said.

No condition has been set for Geeta to report to the foreign ministry for obtaining permission to travel back to her birthplace, Dawn online reported the foreign office statement as saying on Thursday.

It was the responsibility of India to prepare travel documents for the girl, the statement said.

Geeta, now 21, was found by Pakistan rangers 13 years ago, sitting alone on the Samjhauta Express in Lahore that had come across the Wagah border.

She was taken to the Edhi Foundation, Pakistan's largest charity, in whose care she has remained ever since.

It was earlier reported that a sessions court in Karachi had dismissed an Indian lawyer's application seeking custody of the deaf and mute Geeta and observed that diplomatic channels be used since the matter involved two countries.

Indian High Commissioner T.C.A. Raghavan had last month visited Geeta at Edhi and brought her good tidings from India along with several gifts.

Raghavan said he personally wanted to meet the girl to gain as much knowledge about her as possible.

IANS