26 from Godhra stranded in Karachi yearn to return

Vadodara: While many Indians abroad may have be flown back to the country, but a group from Godhra in neighbouring Pakistan remain stranded. It is is making desperate pleas for return to India.

The group had gone to Karachi for a wedding there. A boy from Godhra was to get married to a girl from Karachi. Several persons from Godhra had migrated to Karachi during partition and have settled there.

But over the years, their ties with Godhra have remained intact due to cross border marriages and, till a few years back, visits to relatives on the either side of the border.

“From the group of 28 persons that had come here for a wedding, 26 plan to go back. The groom and a relative will stay back,” said Saleem Murshid, whose parents had migrated to Karachi, helping those stranded there. Murshid said that things could be put in place for their travel from Karachi to the border, but the group would need permission to cross the border.

Ishaq Bokda, a member of the group stranded in Pakistan, said in a recorded message that he and others had to observe ‘rozas’ and celebrate Eid away from family due to the lockdown. “We have bought tickets for travel from Amritsar to Godhra. We have also given an undertaking as sought by the officials. We just need the permission to cross the border,” he said.

Asma Yusuf Hathila, a resident of Godhra whose mother, sister and sister’s husband are a part of the group said that the group was about to return when the lockdown started and travel restrictions came into force. “My sister’s three children are with me. They want to see her desperately and would leave even right now if they were given permission,” Asma said.

“I will help them for the travel from Lahore to Karachi and then the Attari border. Necessary paperwork can also be done. But in order to ensure that they catch the train from Amritsar on June 4 for which they have tickets, things will have to move fast,” said Murshid.