M A I N   N E W S

Emotional outburst in Kashmir

Salamabad/Uri, April 8
It was picture perfect as an uncontrollable Justice Syed Sharief Hussain Bukhari, former Lahore High Court Judge, reunited with his nephew and other family members after more than 58 years, turning the atmosphere emotional.

Almost everyone present at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC), set up for the passengers of both sides of divided Kashmir, were in tears as they witnessed the re-union.

“I almost cried in the bus when it did not stop here. I knew they must have been waiting for me since morning and even I was counting every second of it,’’ said Justice Bukhari, who reunited with his nephew Showkat Hussain Bukhari of Kreeri, Baramula.

“I had been waiting for this moment for 58 years. I wanted to pay a visit to my ancestral village and my near and dear ones. This is a dream come true for me,’’ he added.

Justice Bukhari’s nieces could not control their emotions as they wept and cried in joy after meeting him.

“We are delighted. We cannot believe our eyes that he is here,’’ said Mumtaz, Justice Bukhari’s niece. ‘’We pray to God that the bonhomie between India and Pakistan continues forever,’’ said Showkat.

Begum Zamrud Sharif, a former PoK MLA, said, “After the TRC in Srinagar was attacked, many advised me not to go to Srinagar. But I was determined to visit my relatives on the other side. Why should I have cancelled the visit? I am not scared of anyone but Allah.’’

Begum Zamrud Sharif, accompanied by her son Arshad Qureshi, had stayed in Srinagar before Partition. She is visiting her brother-in-law and other relatives in Srinagar.

Qazi Anwar-ul-Haq Qasmi of Muzaffarabad called for opening of all other routes across the divided Kashmir. ‘’The visit has helped us in dispelling all apprehensions. The differences between the two neighbouring countries should narrow down,’’ he added.

Ms Abida Masoodi, settled in Muzaffarabad, said she is coming to Kashmir after 20 years. She will visit her relatives in Kupwara.

Ms Zulekha Begum, who has come along with her brother, Dr Tajamal Hussain Rathore, said she will be going to Jammu to meet her sister. ‘’I dont know how my nephews and nieces look like. I even don’t know if they will recognise me,’’ she said.

A grand reception was organised at the house of Ali Mohammad Rantoo at Jamalatta in downtown city for his nephew and niece who are visiting their ancestral house after 57 years.

When Ferida Ghani and Mehboob Ghani, who hail from Rawalpindi reached the house, residents of the area showered flowers and sheerni (small pieces of sweets) on them. It took them more than 45 minutes to cover a distance of 20 metres from the main road to the house which had got a fresh paint on the eve of their visit.

Everyone in the crowd wanted to garland them and shake hands with them. Even the family members could not get a chance to meet them for nearly an hour.

The sister-brother duo pleaded with the mediapersons to leave them alone as they wanted to meet their relatives.

Syed Sona-ul-Haq Bukhari cried like a child as he got down the bus. His emotional outburst moved many present there.

The others on board the inaugural bus from Muzaffarabad to Srinagar were, Mr Raja Feroz-ud-din, Mr Nisar Ahmed Rather (Editor Urdu Daily Siasat), Mr Mushtaq Butt (former Secretary in PoK administration), Mr Amjad Khan, Mr Syed Shahid Bahar, Mr Alhaj Ashraf Qureshi, Mr Ajmal Basharat, Mr Nisar Ahmed Mir, Chaudhry Mohammad Akbar, Sardar Ziaul Haq (all from Muzaffarabad), Mr Aurangzeb Khan, Sardar Bashir Khan and Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan (all from Kotli) and those from Mirpur included Chaudhry Mohammad Manzoor, Mr Mohammad Raza Khan; and Mr Mohammad Hussain Kalas.

Mr Hameed Akhtar, Syed Akram Shah (former PoK law department draftsman), Mr Sadeeq Farooqi (former PoK High Court judge) and Mr Mohammad Shamim Qureshi are the Kashmiri refugees settled in Rawalpindi/ Islamabad.

A female passenger, Ms Fareeda Ghani, is settled in Abbottabad. The Jammu and Kashmir government had hosted a reception here for the 30 passengers from across the border and also for 19 Indian travellers.