Post Kartarpur reunion, 76-yr-old wants visa to stay with brother

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 14

Sikka Khan (76) of Bathinda, who had met his brother Sadiq Khan (80) after 74 years at Kartarpur Sahib, has asked the government to grant him a visa so that he could spend the rest of his life with his brother.

He said: “There are many others, like me, who were separated from their families during the Partition. The government should give visas to them too, so that they can be reunited with their families. I have been away from my family for 74 years. Nobody can understand the pain of separation better than me. I have spent every day of my life in the memory of my brother and father,” he said.

“I want to spend the rest of my life with my brother and his family. My anxiety has increased since the day I met him at Kartarpur,” said Sikka Khan. “My brother has four sons and two daughters. I want to live with them,” he said.

Sikka Khan said: “We had searched a lot for him and almost gave up our hopes. But, when we found out about him two years back, we were overjoyed. We also interacted with each other through letter for two years.”

Sikka and Sadiq got separated during the Partition in 1947. Sadiq, his father and sister crossed over and settled in Faislabad of Pakistan, while Sikka, who was named Habib at birth, and his mother got stuck in India.

On January 10, Sikka Khan met his brother Sadiq Khan at Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

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