Samjhuta Express tragedy: Pakistani couple denied access to children's graves in India

Ali, a man broken inside, yearns to visit Panipat in Haryana because that is where the graves of his children lie

There can be moments in life when you’re so plunged into grief that you can’t cry even if you want to. Such is the story of Rana Shaukat Ali and his wife Rukhsana who have to live with the adversity of losing their five children in the Samjhauta Express train blasts of 2007.

Their misery continued as they have been denied access to their children's graves by Indian authorities despite a passage of eight long years.

 

Pakistani citizens Rana Shaukat Ali and wife Rukhsana (above) lost five of their children in the Samjhauta Express blasts on February 18, 2007. PHOTO: SUDHANSHU MALHOTRA 

 

Ali, a man broken inside, yearns to visit Panipat in Haryana, because that is where the graves of his sons and daughters lie. “We want to travel to Panipat to visit our children’s graves for ‘Quran Khawani’ (prayers at the graves). We have been going to Panipat for ‘Quran Khawani’ since 2008. "But since 2011, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad has not granted us permission for the visit,” said Ali who is a vendor in Pakistan.

The couple lost 15-year-old daughter Ayesha in the terror along with his other children Bilal, 13, Meer Hamza, 11, Abdul Rehman, 6, and Aasma, 4.

This year, the pair was finally allowed to acquire the visas but restricted to Noida because of reasons known best to Indian authorities.

"This year, we have got the visa but only for Noida. We reached here by bus on February 9. "For over a month, we have been waiting for the Indian government’s permission to let us visit the graves to offer prayers".

Rukhsana’s sentiments are not any different, "I dream about my children every night. They are asking me when I will come to meet them. I want to go to their graves as soon as possible,” said Rukhsana, as tears rolled down her cheeks

 



A photo taken after the Samjhauta Express blast at Diwana in Haryana. Ali and his wife have been denied visas to visit the graves of their dead children. PHOTO: SHEKAR YADAV

 

Knowing that they have been restricted to Noida till April 10 this year, Rukhsana said: “We have applied for a fresh visa to visit Panipat. We humbly request the Indian government to allow us to visit the graves of our children and offer prayers. We will be grateful to the authorities.”

“I have written to the Ministry of External Affairs to provide the couple with visas to visit Panipat. I have given a written guarantee to the authorities that they will not harm the country,” said Ashok Randhawa, the couple’s only friend in India and is the convener of the South Asian Forum against Terrorism. He works for the welfare of people affected by terrorism.

Ali concluded: “I am still hopeful that the Indian authorities will grant me my request, else I will have to return without seeing my children’s graves.”

 

The news was originally published in Daily Mail