India issues visa to ailing Pakistani kid, family

The child’s father had used Twitter to appeal to India’s external affairs minister for visa

ISLAMABAD: The Indian High Commission in Pakistan on Friday issued visa to an ailing Pakistani child and his parents for an emergency heart treatment on the intervention of India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The visa was issued after the boy’s father, who uses Twitter as ‘Ken Sid’, made a desperate appeal to the Sushma on social media last week to allow his two-and-a-half-month-old son to be treated in India for ailment.

https://twitter.com/KenSid2/status/867381251560361986

The Indian external affairs minister responded by promising to issue the visa saying, “No. The child will not suffer. Please contact Indian High Commission in Pakistan. We will give the medical visa,” Swaraj tweeted while responding to Ken’s tweet.

No. The child will not suffer. Pls contact Indian High Commission in Pakistan. We will give the medical visa. https://t.co/4ADWkFV6Ht https://t.co/OLVO3OiYMB

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) May 31, 2017

An Indian High Commission official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the visa had been issued to the ailing boy and his parents.

The family reached out to Swaraj after they failed to get a visa for weeks. “He [the child] does not even know what is happening between India and Pakistan,” Sid, whose real name is reportedly Kanwal Sadiq, had tweeted while making an appeal.



His appeal was supported by several Indians on social media who urged the minister to intervene.

“It is heartening to see humanity prevailing despite many differences. Thank you for your efforts. Humanity prevails! God bless everyone,” the father tweeted after he got the visa.

He even went on to post a ‘thank you message’ on behalf of his son.

“I thank you all specially those who helped me to get through this process. Your prayers are always needed. God bless you all. Roohan Ken Sid.”

https://twitter.com/KenSid2/status/870371751313670144

Many Pakistanis frequently travel to India for medical treatment particularly for liver transplant and heart treatment. India has, however, tightened the visa policy for patients from Pakistan in the wake of simmering tensions between the two countries. New Delhi has made it mandatory for Pakistanis seeking media visa to provide covering letter from the Foreign Office.