The Indian Army on Monday handed over two girls from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), who inadvertently crossed into J&K’s Poonch on Sunday apparently following a tiff with their family, to the Pakistan Army, as scores of netizens from across the LoC expressed gratitude to the Indian gesture.
“The girls, who had inadvertently crossed into Indian side in Poonch in the morning hours on December 06, were repatriated from the Chakan Da Bagh crossing point on Monday,” Defence spokesman Lt. Col. Devender Anand said.
The two sisters identified as Laiba Zabair, 17, and Sana Zabair, 13, were from Abbasspur village, Kahuta, near the LoC on the other side. They were carrying wrapped gifts as the duo was dropped at the Zero Point, and allowed to head home.
“We strayed into this side of the LoC. We thought we would be beaten up or tortured. However, we were treated well and were provided with food. We never thought we would go back so early. We are so impressed by the gesture,” Ms. Zabair said, just before stepping into PoK’s territory.
Scores of netizens from PoK took to social media, especially Facebook and Twitter in the last 24 hours, appealing to the Indian authorities to release the girls.
“They crossed the ceasefire line mistakenly. We appeal the Indian authorities to release them,” Ijaz Malik, a PoK resident, tweeted.
The release, which came amidst frequent shelling and deaths on both sides of the LoC in Poonch Sector, was welcomed by the netizens on both sides.
“We thank India for the gesture and the safe return of the sisters,” reads a Facebook message from a PoK resident.
