Army repatriates PoK resident as goodwill gesture

In a goodwill gesture, Indian Army on Thursday repatriated a Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir resident who had inadvertently crossed over to India in May this year.

Indian Army officials said Shabir Ahmed, 32, from Panjkot in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir had crossed the Line of Control on May 17.

"On 17 May 2019, Shri Shabir Ahmed aged 32 years, son of Shri Mir Wali, from Panjkot, District Muzaffarabad had inadvertently crossed over the Line Of Control (LOC)," they said.

The PoK national was captured by the Army with the support of people of Tangdhar.

"He was given medical care and was hosted with dignity and respect. He was provided with clothing, lodging and medical care. Once he was stabilised PoK authorities were approached for repatriation by the Indian Army," the Army said.

Shabir Ahmed was repatriated on humanitarian grounds at 1:30 pm today at the Tithwal crossing point in Tangdhar sector by the local civil authorities in Tangdhar to Chilehana in PoK, where Pakistani authorities accepted the individual and appreciated the humanitarian gesture.

He was given a gift as a farewell gesture.