The family of a mentally challenged man, who inadvertently crossed the Line of Control (LoC) from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Sunday, appealed to authorities in Pakistan and India for his safe return.
Yasir Faiz, a resident of Tetrinote in AJK’s Poonch district, was taken to a hospital in Rawalakot on Saturday for psychiatric treatment. According to his family, as the doctor prepared to administer an injection, the 32-year-old father of three panicked and fled from the hospital.
Later that evening, the family learned he had crossed the unmarked LoC along the banks of River Poonch. The river, which flows into AJK from the Tetrinote area, serves as the LoC at several points.
Tetrinote is also known as one of the former functional crossing points used for intra-Kashmir travel and trade until 2019. Currently, this crossing point is used for the repatriation of inadvertent crossers.
“Faiz believed the doctor was going to harm him. He fled the hospital, boarded public transport to Hajira, and later hired a motorcycle ride to reach the vicinity of the LoC,” a relative, Chaudhry Waheed, told Dawn.com over the phone.
“He suffers from severe depression for quite some time and took this step out of ignorance. We urge the Indian authorities to ensure no harm comes to him,” said his father Muhammad Faiz Akbar.
He also called on Pakistani authorities to coordinate with their Indian counterparts to facilitate Faiz’s safe repatriation.
A news portal based in India-held Kashmir confirmed Faiz’s arrest by the Indian army late on Saturday night in Salhotri village. The portal, which also showed a still image of Faiz wearing no warm clothing except a woollen cap, reported that he had been handed over to the police.
When contacted, Poonch Deputy Commissioner Syed Mumtaz Kazmi confirmed to Dawn.com that Faiz suffered from mental health issues and had strayed across the LoC.
“There is a set procedure for repatriation of inadvertent crossers and we have initiated it for his return,” he said.
