New Delhi (NVI): At least 137 Pakistani and Indian nationals, who were stranded in India for a long time due to the Covid-19 pandemic, today crossed over to Pakistan from the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post (JCP) today.
These people included Indian students who are studying in Pakistan and some Pakistani nationals who came to India for medical treatment.
The 137 people who crossed over to Pakistan had come from different parts of the country, including Delhi (97), Madhya Pradesh (13), Gujarat (9), Jammu and Kashmir (7), Chhattisgarh (4), Rajasthan (3), Maharashtra (2) and West Bengal (1).
Earlier in September, 354 Indian students had crossed over to Pakistan via Attari border for study purpose. These students, most of them from Kashmir, are studying in different colleges and universities in Pakistan. During the same time, around 74 Pakistani nationals stuck in different parts of India due to Covid-19 lockdown had also returned to Pakistan.
Pertinent to mention here that the Pakistan government has opened its schools and universities from September 10. Among the students that crossed over to Pakistan today, the number of girls is more. The Indian Government had given its approval to allow these students to cross over to Pakistan just two days ago.
Interestingly, the exchange of people at the International Border and other such humanitarian activities comes amid tensions between India and Pakistan.
The relations between India and Pakistan soured recently after the 2019 Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers and Islamabad’s growing friendship with China which is engaged in unprovoked military actions on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that have spiralled into a huge stand-off in Ladakh region.
-ARK
