Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has invited Pakistan’s Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari to witness the semi final of the Cricket World Cup to be played between India and Pakistan on 30th March 2011 in Mohali. According to latest reports, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has accepted the invitation and will travel to Mohali to see the match. I am sure their meeting will result in the improvement of relations between both the countries.
I am an Indian national by birth and was married to a Pakistani national in 1992. I surrendered my Indian nationality and obtained Pakistani citizenship. Since then, I have visited my hometown Pune in Maharashtra State five to six times on Pakistani passport as a Pakistani citizen. Few years back, tension started to build between India and Pakistan and the Indian Embassy in Islamabad stopped issuing visas. PIA and Indian Airlines suspended their services to Mumbai and Delhi. During this period, my mother suffered a brain hemorrhage and was hospitalised in Pune’s hospital. She remained in the state of coma for 17 days and died. The only name she had on her lips before her death was mine. Despite all out efforts of my husband, I could not travel to India.
My father is suffering from prostate cancer and is undergoing treatment in Pune Adventist Hospital. I have been told that visa procurement will take 2 – 3 months. I have all the necessary papers required for obtaining Indian visa but I cannot wait for so long. Through the courtesy of your esteemed daily, I appeal to both prime ministers of India and Pakistan to kindly help me in getting an Indian visa so that I can visit my ailing father as soon as possible. Thousands of people will travel to Mohali and Mumbai in India to witness the cricket semi final and final but I will have to wait for 2-3 months for a visit visa. If the purpose of both prime minister’s meeting is to use cricket diplomacy to normalise and improve relations between India and Pakistan, why can’t they help me and set an example of friendship. I look forward to hearing from Prime Ministers of both the countries and Indian Embassy in Islamabad.
MRS RIZWANA RAFIQUE SURIYA
Karachi
