Wahida Begum and her 11-year-old son, Faiz Khan, who recently re-entered India via the Wagah-Attari Border, are currently under the custody of Punjab police, as directed by the local administration. The duo, who were previously detained in Pakistan, have not yet been handed over to their family in Nagaon, Assam.
Wahida and her son were captured in Pakistan in November 2022 and were held in Quetta Jail. They returned to India on May 29, 2024, after a year and a half. From her current location in Punjab police custody, Wahida has appealed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam police to expedite their transfer to Assam.
The circumstances of their detention in Pakistan remain unclear, as they were found near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border without valid passports and visas. The initial notification of their capture came via a phone call to Wahida's family in Assam, followed by a legal notice from a Pakistani court citing their lack of proper travel documents.
Their release was expedited by Pakistan's Ministry of Interior, following legal efforts led by advocate Santosh Kumar Suman. Wahida’s family initially sought help from the Delhi High Court but were redirected to the Gauhati High Court due to jurisdictional issues. The Supreme Court of India later advised them to involve the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs, leading to diplomatic negotiations between India and Pakistan.
On the same day i.e. on May 29, three other Indian prisoners were also handed over to Indian authorities at the Wagah border. These prisoners include Suraj Pal and Ramesh, who were detained in Lahore Jail, and Shabir Ahmed Dars, who was held in Malir Jail, Karachi.
The efforts to secure Wahida and her son's return have involved multiple legal and diplomatic channels, highlighting the complexity of cross-border detentions and the importance of international cooperation in such cases.
