Sri Ganganagar: The Pakistani woman who practically forced her way into India, across the International Border (IB) in Rajasthan, has claimed that she is a Balochi. The 30-year-old woman, who has identified herself as Hamaira, has also told authorities that she faces a threat to her life in Pakistan and will not return.
A Joint Interrogation Committee (JIC) has been set up – comprising officials from the Border Security Force (BSF), Rajasthan Police and other states and central agencies – to try and find out more details.
“There is no fence along this stretch of the IB. BSF troops spotted a woman approaching the border from the Pakistan side around 5 am on Sunday. They first tried to wave her back. She kept on walking. When she was within hearing distance, the jawans shouted and asked her not to move any further. She seemed determined though and crossed the IB, before giving herself up to the BSF personnel at Sri Ganganagar. She said that she would not return to Pakistan under any circumstances,” a senior official said.
Officials seized a phone from her and call records are being checked to find out whether she has been in contact with somebody in India. She also had some gold jewellery with her.
In May, 2023, a Pakistani woman named Seema Haidar entered India via Nepal with her four children. When arrested, she claimed that she had moved to the country to marry a man she had befriended over social media.
Officials are in a fix over the Hamaira case. It is known that there is anger among the general Pakistanis against Balochis. Things have gotten worse over the last few days since the Mujeeb Brigade of the Balochi Liberation Army (BLA) started carrying out devastating attacks on military personnel. After hijacking a train and executing several soldiers, the rebels from the Balochistan Province – demanding freedom – struck a military convoy on Sunday morning. They claimed to have killed 90 soldiers though authorities have said that only a handful were killed.
Pakistan has directly blamed India for assisting the BLA with funds and equipment. India has issued an outright denial. Under these circumstances, the arrival of a Balochi woman to India, without any valid documents, has landed authorities in a tricky situation. It is likely that Hamaira will be taken to Delhi for further processing.
