Separated families reunite for Eid

Reunions see emotional scenes as families bring Eid gifts for children

RAWALPINDI:

The rush for special Eid meetings between divorced parents and their separated children has increased significantly at the Family Facilitation Centre of the Judicial Complex Rawalpindi.

Due to the growing number of visitors, Eid meetings with children will now be held from 9am to 4pm from March 16 until Thursday. Because of the heavy rush, the meeting time has also been reduced to half an hour.

Besides parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives are also visiting the centre to meet the children. Parents are bringing Eidi for their children along with clothes, shoes, glasses, toys and for girls bangles, mehndi, mobile phones and new school bags as gifts.

The joy of the children upon seeing these gifts is evident, while emotional scenes are also witnessed among divorced couples during the meetings.

Parents also expressed anger over the lack of facilities at the meeting centres. They said they are made to wait for long periods and have to sit in the open sun on hot iron and stone benches. They complained that there is no arrangement for shade, rain protection or even cold drinking water.

They warned that with the onset of summer these meetings will become even more difficult. Parents said the facilitation centre is very small and there is no privacy for conversations as all families sit together.

They demanded expansion of the centre and better arrangements for shade and water.

Sohail Abbasi said meeting separated children is extremely painful. "This meeting takes place after one or two months. I have brought many gifts for the children, but seeing their faces after such a long time is nothing less than torment," he said, appealing to families to avoid divorce and try reconciliation and patience.