FAMILIES OF POWS MEET BURNEY
New Delhi April 8:
It was an emotional meeting as family members of the prisoners of war, believed to be lodged in Pakistan since 1971, raised the issue of returning their loved ones with Pakistan former human rights minister Ansar Burney here this afternoon.
Burney, who is on a visit to India, promised help and told the families that he would look into the matter. A four-member group met Burney and told him that 54 men were scheduled to be released or exchanged in the third phase of the prisoner exchange programme between India and Pakistan, but were not returned, they said. Burney is seen as instrumental in securing the release of Kashmir Singh, who was repatriated to India recently.
Clutching evidence in their hands were Damyanthi Tambay, wife of Flight Lieut V.V. Tambay, and a brother of Wing Commander Gill. They were carrying copies of the 1974 issue of the Time magazine that had photo of Major Ghosh on its cover. They were also carrying newspaper cuttings of Pakistani newspapers, references from books written by former spies.
The Pakistan government had repeatedly denied having the 54 men in custody, the relatives of PoWs told Burney. The families had gone to Pakistan last year in an emotional trip to look for their loved ones in jails, but it yielded nothing. They had carried documents to prove that their dear ones were captured alive during the 1971 war but were never returned.
The family members of the missing men had been working incessantly to trace and get them released for the past 35 years now. They had met every Prime Minister, every foreign minister to date but repeatedly failed to get their loved ones back. Separately, Burney that Pakistan was also looking for its PoWs in India. He said he was for releasing all people who were not involved in any terrorist activity on the either side of the border.
“I hold no sympathy for such people who indulge in acts of terror”. On Sarabjit Singh, he said, “I hope he is freed” and promised that he would go and meet the witness who changed his stance that ultimately led to the punishment for Sarabjit.
New Delhi April 8:
It was an emotional meeting as family members of the prisoners of war, believed to be lodged in Pakistan since 1971, raised the issue of returning their loved ones with Pakistan former human rights minister Ansar Burney here this afternoon.
Burney, who is on a visit to India, promised help and told the families that he would look into the matter. A four-member group met Burney and told him that 54 men were scheduled to be released or exchanged in the third phase of the prisoner exchange programme between India and Pakistan, but were not returned, they said. Burney is seen as instrumental in securing the release of Kashmir Singh, who was repatriated to India recently.
Clutching evidence in their hands were Damyanthi Tambay, wife of Flight Lieut V.V. Tambay, and a brother of Wing Commander Gill. They were carrying copies of the 1974 issue of the Time magazine that had photo of Major Ghosh on its cover. They were also carrying newspaper cuttings of Pakistani newspapers, references from books written by former spies.
The Pakistan government had repeatedly denied having the 54 men in custody, the relatives of PoWs told Burney. The families had gone to Pakistan last year in an emotional trip to look for their loved ones in jails, but it yielded nothing. They had carried documents to prove that their dear ones were captured alive during the 1971 war but were never returned.
The family members of the missing men had been working incessantly to trace and get them released for the past 35 years now. They had met every Prime Minister, every foreign minister to date but repeatedly failed to get their loved ones back. Separately, Burney that Pakistan was also looking for its PoWs in India. He said he was for releasing all people who were not involved in any terrorist activity on the either side of the border.
“I hold no sympathy for such people who indulge in acts of terror”. On Sarabjit Singh, he said, “I hope he is freed” and promised that he would go and meet the witness who changed his stance that ultimately led to the punishment for Sarabjit.
