While there is no dearth of allegations and counter allegations between India and Pakistan over surgical strikes and ceasefire violations, the humanitarian bond between the two countries is proving to be a silver lining in the rough times.
On September 27, a delegation of 20 students from Pakistan arrived in Chandigarh for the 11th Global Youth Peace Festival. However, the ongoing tensions between the two countries raised aspersions in the minds of the participants over whether they will be able to return home safely.
One of the girls who bore hand-written notes and friendship cards from various schools from across Pakistan, reached out to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj voicing her fears.
Overwhelmed with Sushma’s response, Aliya Harir, leader of the contingent tweeted, spoke to Sushma Swaraj ji who assured that Pakistani delegation of will reach Pakistan back safe.
Sushma herself took to Twitter responding to Aliya and said, “Aliya – I was concerned about your well being kyonki betiyan to sabki sanjhi hoti hain” (I was concerned about your well being because one’s daughter is everyone’s daughter).
Along the border, too, where all that is being reported these days is firing and shelling, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday repatriated a 12-year-old Pakistani national who had inadvertently crossed into Indian territory in Punjab’s Ferozepur sector.
A BSF spokesperson said that the boy, Mohammed Tanveer, resident of Dhari village in Pakistan’s Kasur district, was apprehended on Sunday by BSF troopers on guard duty with Punjab farmers who were tending to their crops in fields across the barbed wire fencing.
The BSF contacted the Pakistan Rangers and Tanveer was handed back to them on humanitarian grounds, having crossed the border inadvertently.
