Indian envoy meets Geeta in Karachi
Despite tense relations, the two countries worked to rescue each other’s citizens
The Indian envoy meets Geeta and Abdul Sattar Edhi in Karachi. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/ EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr TCA Raghavan met the hearing- and speech-impaired Indian girl, Geeta, on Tuesday, saying he would do whatever he could to find her family back home.
Raghavan and his wife met the girl at Edhi Foundation’s head office in the Mithadar neighbourhood of Karachi Tuesday evening. “My government has sent me with a message of peace and to meet Geeta. After the media highlighted Geeta’s news, our External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj directed me to meet her and the Edhi family.”
Sitting next to the Indian girl who has been stranded in Pakistan for the last 13 years after mistakenly crossing the Pakistan-India border, Raghavan said that despite the ups and downs in their bilateral relations, the two countries have always worked to promote humanity.
“Despite tense relations, the two countries worked to rescue each other’s citizens when the war broke out in Yemen. When Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif had met in [the Russian city of] Ufa, apart from other issues, they also spoke on the detained fishermen’s issue,” the Indian envoy said.
Geeta broke into tears after meeting the Indian envoy and his wife. Raghavan said he would do all he could to locate the stranded girl’s family. We will also try to work on the issue of those citizens who mistakenly cross the volatile border between Pakistan and India, he added.
Raghavan refused to comment on political issues, and thanked philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi for taking care of the Indian girl. The Indian envoy then met Geeta in private. After the meeting, Faisal Edhi told The Express Tribune that Raghavan said New Delhi would soon take a decision about Geeta and until that time she could live at the Edhi shelter.
The Indian officials communicated to Geeta in sign language, saw her writings and asked her to write some words. “The Indian high commissioner had also brought a map of India and Geeta pointed to Jharkhand. He had also brought pictures of Nehru and Gandhi and Geeta recognised the latter.”
Ahead of the Indian delegation’s visit, Geeta was found decorating the shelter with Pakistani flags. Clad in green clothes, she made signs of an aeroplane as Bilquis Edhi smiled and said Geeta would go back home soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2015.
Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr TCA Raghavan met the hearing- and speech-impaired Indian girl, Geeta, on Tuesday, saying he would do whatever he could to find her family back home.
Raghavan and his wife met the girl at Edhi Foundation’s head office in the Mithadar neighbourhood of Karachi Tuesday evening. “My government has sent me with a message of peace and to meet Geeta. After the media highlighted Geeta’s news, our External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj directed me to meet her and the Edhi family.”
Sitting next to the Indian girl who has been stranded in Pakistan for the last 13 years after mistakenly crossing the Pakistan-India border, Raghavan said that despite the ups and downs in their bilateral relations, the two countries have always worked to promote humanity.
“Despite tense relations, the two countries worked to rescue each other’s citizens when the war broke out in Yemen. When Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif had met in [the Russian city of] Ufa, apart from other issues, they also spoke on the detained fishermen’s issue,” the Indian envoy said.
Geeta broke into tears after meeting the Indian envoy and his wife. Raghavan said he would do all he could to locate the stranded girl’s family. We will also try to work on the issue of those citizens who mistakenly cross the volatile border between Pakistan and India, he added.
Raghavan refused to comment on political issues, and thanked philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi for taking care of the Indian girl. The Indian envoy then met Geeta in private. After the meeting, Faisal Edhi told The Express Tribune that Raghavan said New Delhi would soon take a decision about Geeta and until that time she could live at the Edhi shelter.
The Indian officials communicated to Geeta in sign language, saw her writings and asked her to write some words. “The Indian high commissioner had also brought a map of India and Geeta pointed to Jharkhand. He had also brought pictures of Nehru and Gandhi and Geeta recognised the latter.”
Ahead of the Indian delegation’s visit, Geeta was found decorating the shelter with Pakistani flags. Clad in green clothes, she made signs of an aeroplane as Bilquis Edhi smiled and said Geeta would go back home soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 5th, 2015.