Senior citizen released from Indian captivity reunited with family

An 80-year-old senior citizen, who arrived at Wagah Border in a wheelchair following his release from an Indian prison on February 17 after eight years in captivity, was reunited with his family on Monday.

Muhammad Nazir, who was with the Edhi Foundation for the past two days, was arrested by Indian authorities in 2014.

Nazir's mental health is said to be badly affected for spending all these years in the Indian prison. He is also having hearing problems, rescue officials told The Express Tribune on Sunday.

Read more: Pakistani prisoners released by India return via Wagah border

He also said that he was tortured in the prison, adding that his ribs had been broken.

After the news of Nazir's release was highlighted in the local media, his sons — Abdul Majeed and Malik Mohammad Rafique, arrived at the Edhi Centre in Township to take their father home.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Abdul Majeed said that his father left home to have breakfast in 2014 but did not return home. "We searched for him for months in all areas and cities but could not locate him. We also lodged a missing report at Islampura police station but we received no information about him for many years," he said.

Majeed said that his entire family became disappointed after the search and assumed that their father had died. He said recently police officials contacted them, seeking documentation regarding his father and said that he was in an Indian jail and the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi needed the documents for verification.

Also read: Pakistan, India exchange list of prisoners

Nazir's younger son Mohammad Rafique said that his entire family was delighted to be reunited with his father after eight years and God has now given them an opportunity to serve him.

Nazir said that he did not remember how, when and why did he reach India and could not even recognise his own sons. However, he could remember that he was tortured in the Indian prison.

The senior citizen showed his ribs and said that they were broken. He often becomes suddenly angry while talking, indicating how bad his mental state currently is.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Nazir remembers going to Hazrat Nosha Pak Ganj Bakhsh Qadiri's shrine in Tehsil Phalia in Mandi Bahauddin district of Punjab.

India had recently repatriated 12 Pakistanis, six fishermen and six civilians, to Pakistani authorities via the Attari-Wagah border after they had completed their sentences.