Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has taken action on Sunday at the news of a Pakistani national woman trapped in India, local media reported here on Sunday.
Nisar issued orders to NADRA chairman and passport directorate to verify the woman’s Pakistan nationality within 48 hours. According to media reports, the woman belongs to Pakistan and has been jailed in India for many years.
Rubina, who reportedly belongs to Hyderabad, came to India for asthma treatment in 2012. She was accompanied by her husband and daughter. Rubina’s husband, later on, abandoned her and her daughter in Delhi, taking away his wife’s passport, money and visa, according to an Indian media report.
Rubina was left with no means of identification following the incident. Locals took pity on her and gave her some money to go to Wagah border, but due to lack of proper documentation, she was not allowed to enter into Pakistan.
She then went to India-occupied Kashmir (IOK) to try her luck, but to no avail. Rubina was arrested by security forces on Nov 6, 2012, and sent to a jail in IOK’s Kot Bhalwal.
A human rights’ lawyer, Mir Shafqat, is fighting her case and for her return to Pakistan. A local court had ordered her to return to her homeland. The Indian administration claimed that Pakistan High Commission was approached over the matter; however, her identification as a Pakistani could not be done.
“If Rubina is Pakistani, then Ministry of External Affairs will be approached to make preparations for her return,” said interior minister Nisar.