Beyond the border: 13-year-old Pakistani in Indian jail

On his way to Lahore, the boy stopped at Kasur and crossed the border to see India.

LAHORE: A 13-year-old Pakistani boy, who went missing from Kasur last year, is in an Indian jail, Express News reported on Tuesday.

According to initial details, Kashif was travelling to Lahore with his mother when he got off the bus near Kasur and crossed the border to see India. He entered Hussainiwala, a village in Indian Punjab.

He was arrested by the Indian security forces and was sent to the Child Observation Centre of Fareed Kot jail.

When Kashif did not return, his family members reported his absence to the Mandi Ahmedabad police station.

Express News correspondent Noman Sheikh said that the Indian jail authorities claim they had written letters to the Pakistani authorities in this regard but received no response.

Kashif is a resident of Okara and went missing on September 18, 2011.

While speaking to Express News, social worker Madiha Gohar said she contacted the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) for Kashif’s repatriation on the request of Indian authorities

Gohar said the commission contacted the family and then informed the Pakistani High Commission in India about the development. She said the Pakistani officials in India need to do the required legal work to bring back the boy.