A Pakistani child named Asmad Ali, from the border village of Tatrinote, accidentally crossed the Line of Control (LOC) while he was running after his pet pigeon. The 14-year-old ended up unintentionally crossing over to India in November 2021.
The child was first detained by the Indian Army, and later handed over to the Jammu & Kashmir Police, who filed an FIR (first information report) against him. J&K Police then presented him before the Juvenile Justice Board in Poonch.
Asmad is now at an observation home meant for juvenile offenders, located in the Ranbir Singh Pura district in Jammu. It has already been three months since he is stuck in India, away from home.
His story is full of struggles and miseries. He lost his mother when he was just three months old, and his father abandoned him after that. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, who are now extremely worried and upset about his detention in India.
“I Created A Petition To Send Asmad Home”
Asmad’s maternal uncle Arbab Ali, and his nana Mohammed Aslam, have appealed to the Indian authorities to release him and send him back home, on humanitarian grounds.
Towards the end of January 2022, the issue came to my notice through a Twitter thread, after which I decided to do some research on it. I got in touch with journalists in Jammu and Kashmir. I got to know that an FIR has been filed against the young boy under the Engress Internal Movement (Control) Ordinance.
Asmad has not been charged with any sections related to national security. Hence, he is a fit case for repatriation based on humanitarian grounds. I firmly believe that the child must be sent back to his home as soon as possible.
I then started a petition on change.org. I also wrote a letter to the prime minister of India requesting him to release Asmad. The response to the petition has been tremendous and people from all walks of life have signed it, urging the PM to send the boy home.
The former chairperson of the Delhi Minorities Commission, Zafarul Islam Khan, has also signed and shared the petition.
“People On Both Sides Of The Border Pray For A Reunion”
Apart from this, people from India have extensively written asking for the release of Asmad. They have also shared the petition, clearly showcasing that humanity still prevails as the supreme value in the hearts of common citizens, who want to reunite an innocent child with his nana and nani.
I enquired about Asmad’s health and well-being from the superintendent of the observation home where he has been detained. Apparently, he is keeping well, but how well can a child, who has been kept away from his beloved grandparents and home for three months, be?
So far, Asmad hasn’t spoken to his nana and nani on the phone. However, I have passed on the information about his health and well-being in India to his family in Pakistan, so that they can breathe a sigh of relief.
I have also written to the authorities on both sides to grant speedy consular access to him, so that he can at least talk to his grandparents on the phone. This will ensure that both the child and his grandparents will get some hope of an impending reunion.
My petition has over 8,000 signatures already. People on both sides of the border want the child to be reunited with his family. The Indian people have boldly raised their voices to send Asmad home. Let’s all come together to send him home!