“Days before the 75th anniversary of Pakistan’s and India’s Independence Day, Ganpat Singh received a call he has long been waiting for, that granted him freedom to see his family in India after six long and tragic years — the Indian High Commission in Islamabad said his visa to India was approved on Saturday.” This was the eighth time he had applied.
Man from Pakistani Sodha Rajput community gets Indian visa, after being separated from family for six years - excellent report by Suhasini Haidar in The Hindu recently, which includes a link to our petition.
However, “obstacles still remain for Mr. Ganpat Singh and his family — his Indian visa is only for 45 days, and an extension, which he will need in order to attend his children’s weddings in December, will still require more paperwork and clearances from the MHA in Delhi.”
“Even this visa is a miracle, given the long wait,” he says, praying for another miracle to attend the weddings of his son and daughter.
Why should it be this hard? Why do we need miracles to be able to visit each other across the border?
#MilneDo! Let people meet! Please share this petition with your contacts and help us make an impact.
Sapan, the Southasia Peace Action Network revived this petition a few days ago in collaboration with friends around the region. The number of collaborating organisations is now 21: Aghaaz-e-Dosti, Aman Ki Asha (initiated the MilneDo - Let People Meet - campaign in 2010), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP); India Pakistan Heritage Club; Nijera Kori; Tehrik-e-Niswan; Samaaj; Sangat; Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD); Laal Band; Uks Resource Centre; Centre for Peace and Secular Studies (which launched a massive visafree campaign in 2011); Centre for Social Justice, Association of Peoples of Asia, Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA) Peace Network, Indo Pak Book Lovers Club - A Peace Initiative; Roobaroo; People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL); Boston South Asia Coalition; Nirmala Deshpande Sansthan.
Thank you!