Pak couple leaves with happy memories of first child born in India

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 30

A Pakistan-based couple could not have asked for more! They were blessed with a child in India during the Covid-19 lockdown. Along with them, 88 Pakistani nationals and 127 Jammu and Kashmiri students crossed the Attari-Wagah border from here on Wednesday.

Naresh Chawla and his wife Ashi Chawla hail from Sindh in Pakistan. They were overwhelmed that their only son was born in Indore, India, on May 18.

“But due to the lockdown restrictions, we got stranded here and are happy to go back home now. We were under treatment in Indore for the past 16 months, which was successfully executed and we were gifted with a baby boy. Since he was born during the corona period, our ‘guruji’ named him Avtar Chawla,” he said.

While expressing gratitude towards the Indian government for allowing them to overstay, an equally excited Ashi Chawla said she got the best of treatment in India.

Meanwhile, around 127 J&K residents, who were pursuing professional courses, too, left for Pakistan.

Kashmir resident Masina Mustafa, Atia Malik and Haida said they were studying in Lahore and had come home during the lockdown. The academic session for students commenced since September 15.

Another Pakistan resident Kailash Kumar said he belonged to Sindh province and had come with his family to visit relatives at Indore nine months ago, but got stranded due to the lockdown. Protocol officer at Integrated Check Post (ICP), Attari, Arun Sharma said clearance for approximately 315 students from Jammu and Kashmir and 100 Pakistan nationals was granted on Wednesday.