Teen who strayed into IIOJK returns to family

A differently-abled teenager who had mistakenly crossed into the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in 2013 has been reunited with his family by the efforts of the Edhi Foundation.

Nineteen-year-old Waseem Tanveer had mistakenly crossed into IIOJK in 2013.

Being unable to talk or hear, he could not describe his identity to the Indians, said an Edhi spokesperson.

He added that an NGO from Indian Punjab had contacted Faisal Edhi and described about the child, telling him that he could recognize buildings and personalities.

On which Faisal Edhi arranged an advertisement campaign at newspapers in Kashmir. His family identified the victim from Bhimbhar and contacted Edhi.

A video call was arranged between the family and the victim. The family had also shared his identity marks.

The spokesperson for the Edhi Foundation said that they were sure of the identity of the teenager after his family said that the victim’s leg had marks of burn injuries due to an accident and he also had a mole on his face.

Tanveer had been transported to Pakistan in December last year.

However, he stayed with the state authorities to ensure that he was a citizen of Pakistan by birth.

The Edhi Foundation had made special arrangements to transport him to reunite with his family.

“He has been reunited with his family,” the spokesperson added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2022.