National
Freed from Amritsar jail, Pakistani sisters return home after 11 years
Amritsar, Nov 2 (IANS) Arrested nearly 11 years ago and jailed for carrying drugs, two sisters from Pakistan were on Thursday released from the Amritsar Central Jail and allowed to return to Pakistan via the Attari-Wagah border.
Sisters Fatima and Mumtaz entered Pakistan through the Attari border, about 30 km from here, on Thursday afternoon after all formalities for their release and repatriation were completed by authorities on both sides.
They were accompanied back by Fatima’s daughter, Heena, who was born during her imprisonment here.
Although both sisters were happy to be returning to Pakistan, they had mixed feelings since their mother, Rashida Bibi, who was arrested with them in May 2006 passed away in the prison in 2008 due to illness.
They were arrested by security agencies at the Attari Railway Station for carrying drugs as they alighted from the Samjhauta Express — the peace train between India and Pakistan.
The sisters and the mother, who were heading for Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh in 2006 to meet relatives, were tried by a court here and sentenced to 10 years in prison and imposed a penalty of Rs 4 lakh.
They, however, claimed that they had been framed in the drugs case.
Fatima, who is from Gujranwala and was pregnant at the time of her arrest, gave birth to Heena in jail in 2006. The newborn girl lived with her mother in the prison.
Although their prison term ended in November 2015, they were lodged in the prison transit camp as they did not have the means to pay the penalty of Rs 4 lakh.
The plight of the Pakistani sisters was taken up with the court and the union government by local lawyer Navjot Kaur.
With the help of a Batala-based NGO, Sarbat Da Bhala Humanity Club, Kaur arranged the penalty money to be paid. Despite that it took almost seven months for their file in the union ministries of Home and External Affairs to move.
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi completed the formalities to confer Pakistani nationality on Heena.
“We are happy to be returning to Pakistan,” both sisters told the media before crossing over.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.