In a significant cross-border development, Pakistan on Saturday repatriated seven Indian nationals who had completed their jail terms in Pakistani prisons. The group included two individuals who were swept across the international border by the flooded Sutlej river two and a half years ago, highlighting the complex humanitarian and diplomatic dimensions of such cases.
Border Handover and Deliberate Delays
The Indian nationals were formally handed over by Pakistan Rangers to their Border Security Force counterparts at the Attari border crossing. According to sources familiar with the repatriation process, the prisoners were brought to the border checkpost by Pakistan police by afternoon but were subjected to unnecessary waiting until the flag-lowering ceremony.
Sources indicated that this delay appeared deliberate, as Pakistan sought to maximize publicity in the presence of crowds of tourists at both the Attari and Wagah borders. This strategic timing allowed Pakistan to project goodwill and diplomatic gestures surrounding the repatriation event.
Identities and Personal Tragedies
Attari protocol officer Arun Mahal identified those repatriated on Saturday as Harvinder Singh, Chander Singh, Vishal, Sunil, Gurmeet Singh, Joginder Singh, and Ratanpal. Each individual's return was marked by personal tragedies that unfolded during their incarceration.
Ratanpal, a 26-year-old from Sidhwan Bet area of Ludhiana, returned to discover he had lost the parents who raised him—his uncle Kartar Singh and aunt Pyaro Bai—as well as his brother, Ved Prakash, while he was in custody. The emotional toll of this delayed information was particularly devastating.
Harvinder, a 25-year-old native of Mehatpur area in Jalandhar, similarly returned to find that his father had passed away early last year. Both Harvinder and Ratanpal were arrested by Pakistani Rangers after being swept away in the Sutlej river from Ferozepur area on July 26, 2023, during severe flooding conditions.
Legal Proceedings and Allegations
A few days after their detention in 2023, Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations accused Harvinder, Ratanpal, and four other detained Indians of smuggling arms, ammunition, and drugs into Pakistan. These allegations led to their subsequent sentencing and imprisonment in Pakistani jails, despite their claims of accidental border crossing due to natural circumstances.
Harsh Prison Conditions and Coercion Attempts
After their release on Saturday, the Indian prisoners provided disturbing accounts of their incarceration experiences. They described harsh and overcrowded jail conditions in Pakistan, with severely limited access to basic facilities that compromised their health and well-being during their detention.
According to sources, during debriefing sessions, the former prisoners revealed that Pakistani jail officers had attempted to persuade them to act as spies after returning to India. This coercion attempt adds another layer of complexity to their detention experience and raises questions about treatment protocols for foreign prisoners.
Family Impact and Emotional Toll
The families of the repatriated individuals endured significant emotional distress during their loved ones' incarceration. Harvinder's mother Surjeet Kaur has been under tremendous stress since his arrest in Pakistan. His uncle Harpal Singh explained that they had to reveal news of his father's death around four months ago as Harvinder kept persistently asking for him during communication attempts.
Ratanpal's situation was particularly heartbreaking as he remained completely unaware of his family's tragic losses until his actual arrival in India, creating a devastating homecoming scenario that compounded the trauma of his imprisonment.
Broader Diplomatic Context
This repatriation occurs within a larger framework of ongoing diplomatic discussions between India and Pakistan regarding prisoner exchanges. On January 1, India had formally asked Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 167 Indian fishermen and civilian prisoners who have completed their jail terms.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India has consistently urged Pakistan to grant immediate consular access to 35 civilian prisoners and fishermen in its custody who are believed to be Indian nationals. In a reciprocal diplomatic gesture, India has shared the names and details of 391 civilian prisoners and 33 fishermen in its custody who are believed to be Pakistani nationals.
The repatriation of these seven individuals represents a small but significant step in addressing humanitarian concerns while highlighting the ongoing challenges in India-Pakistan relations regarding prisoner welfare, border management, and diplomatic protocols.
