LUDHIANA: Partition saw him move to Pakistan but his heart still lies here in this city. Seventy-five-year-old Shabbir Ahmed Mufti Ludhianvi has a last wish -- to spend the last days of his life in Ludhiana, a city he was born in and where he spent his childhood. And, he wants to find grooms for his daughters in the city.
Shabbir, who has come all the way from Pakistan to meet his sister and friends here, plans to write to the deputy commissioner to take up his request, though a strange one -- to grant him a "visa-till-he-dies" Born in 1935 in Mochpura area of the city, he loves to visit Ludhiana to meet his relatives and friends and feels that the unnecessary trouble created by authorities in issuing visas discourages people from coming to India.
"My sister Rashida Begum got married in Ludhiana in 1956. So, I have a reason to be here. But, still it's difficult to make visits as much as I wish. I last came here in 2006," he says.
"I don't know how much longer I will live. My one last wish is to breathe my last in Ludhiana and be buried here. I also wish I can find grooms for my daughters here," he added.
Recalling those horror days of Partition, Shabbir said he had to leave the city with his parents, his brother and three sisters. "We took a train to Lahore and reached a relief camp. I still shiver when I remember those dreadful scenes. I will never forget them in my life," said Shabbir.
While appealing to both the governments, he said people in both the countries want peace and those creating mischief should help bring peace back. "So that people like me can cross the border whenever our hearts want and live and die wherever we want," he said.
- Times of India
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Emotional family reunions, heartwarming interactions with ordinary people
- a Pakistani and his elderly mother on the journey of a lifetime
Part II .....more
Three young people...
"Three young people in Lahore try to escape the reality of their everyday lives. They succeed in ways they least expected"... So reads t .....more
Waiting for peace
"For peace between Pakistan and India it is important to understand that at the northwestern corner of the subcontinent, lie the disputed ar .....more
A recent journey to India gives a young Pakistani woman a lot to think about
By Tanzila Khan
My heart raced with excitement as our plane from Lahore landed .....more
A Lahori's take on Delhi
Pakistani journalist, development professional and blogger Raza Rumi's first book 'Delhi By Heart: Impressions of a Pakistani Travell .....more
Philanthropist and music promoter Jayesh Kotak wants the all-blind Indian orchestra Black to perform in Pakistan, where there is huge musical talent - and potential f .....more
Page 1 of 178
Special Editions
more editions
The News on Sunday Special Report: India Pakistan prisoners
We probably didn't need to do this Special Report. Newspaper stories don't matter when it comes to Indians in Pakistani jails and vice versa. In fact, 'vice versa' sums it up. We do to them what they do to us.
Except when the two countries decide to begin talking, yet again! This time a little before the foreign secretary level talks, some Pakistani prisoners were released by India (and vice versa must have happened) and some more were release....read more
Blog
more
For the past 2 years the Jang Group and Geo have been working on a project of great national interest; one that we hope will help usher in an era of peace and prosperity in the country and indeed, in the region. And one that hopefully all Pakistanis can be proud of.
The Jang Group has entered into an agreement with the Times of India Group, the largest media group of India, to campaign for peace betw
Global Media
Comments