HAIDER
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Many of you may remember the high profile case of Indian spy Kashmir Singh who was captured by Pakistan, tried, convicted and sentenced to death. He was released after 35 years of captivity much of it spent on the death row, after being pardoned by then President Musharraf.
He walked back home smiling with all his limbs intact, with his life DESPITE being a spy. I remember more than one Indian a.netters whining about how brutal it was, and (without any proof) Pakistan has many Indian POWs that it does acknowledge.
Well there have been numerous prisoner exchanges between India and Pakistan in the recent years which is a welcome sign, as most of the prisoners are fishermen who stray into the wrong waters or ordinary people who for some mistake end up being on the wrong side and taken for as enemies, spies etc.
Just read of a story (haven't been able to find all facts in one link but am posting the ones that mentioned most of them) of such a prisoner exchange in 2005. Among them was a mentally unstable old man unable to speak anything. According to the link posted, in his saner moments he kept writing "No.335139" whenever he was questioned about his identity. Weeks later, officials, realizing the significance of the number, handed him over to the military, under whose care he has been for the past two years. But even after months of tender and meticulous medical and psychiatric care, Maqbool Hussain still prefers to sleep on the floor, shies away from bright lights and inhabits only a small dark corner of the large VIP suite that President Musharraf has allotted to him inside a military facility. Over the months, officers and doctors assigned to him realized that he was scribbling about his 40-year ordeal in fits and starts.
Turns out his name is Maqbool Hussain, a native of Azad Kashmir and an Army foot soldier No.335139 who fought in the 1965 Pak India war in Kashmir and as far as Pakistan was concerned he was listed missing in action and presumed dead. Turns out he was wounded and taken prisoner, denied POW status kept as prisoner and subjected to such horrible torture that he is missing his tongue, cannot speak, is mentally unstable now, missing nails on hands and feet and does not remember or recognize anything.
Unmarried but engaged at the time, his mother mother kept waiting for his return. When she died, she was buried at the entrance of the village at her request, so that she could 'meet' her son when he returned. On the homecoming of the soldier, neither his parents, nor his brother of Tarrar Khal were in this world to receive him. One of his two sisters is alive. Perhaps she would have not recognized him as he has lost his identification.
Years after gathering little pieces of information to rediscover his story there is a play released in Pakistan just recently that claims (haven't been able to find how they come up with this) he was forced to denounce Pakistan verbally and had his tongue cut when he refused and shows him writing (translated), long live Pakistan with his blood.
He was honored at the ceremony that unveiled the play where he was present, guided by another person as he walked on the stage with a blank face. Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani walked up to greet him as he was visibly unable to understand the reason of the applause.
Maqbool Hussain has been accommodated in intensive care and full affection in Azad Kashmir Regimental Centre which is his home, now.
He walked back home smiling with all his limbs intact, with his life DESPITE being a spy. I remember more than one Indian a.netters whining about how brutal it was, and (without any proof) Pakistan has many Indian POWs that it does acknowledge.
Well there have been numerous prisoner exchanges between India and Pakistan in the recent years which is a welcome sign, as most of the prisoners are fishermen who stray into the wrong waters or ordinary people who for some mistake end up being on the wrong side and taken for as enemies, spies etc.
Just read of a story (haven't been able to find all facts in one link but am posting the ones that mentioned most of them) of such a prisoner exchange in 2005. Among them was a mentally unstable old man unable to speak anything. According to the link posted, in his saner moments he kept writing "No.335139" whenever he was questioned about his identity. Weeks later, officials, realizing the significance of the number, handed him over to the military, under whose care he has been for the past two years. But even after months of tender and meticulous medical and psychiatric care, Maqbool Hussain still prefers to sleep on the floor, shies away from bright lights and inhabits only a small dark corner of the large VIP suite that President Musharraf has allotted to him inside a military facility. Over the months, officers and doctors assigned to him realized that he was scribbling about his 40-year ordeal in fits and starts.
Turns out his name is Maqbool Hussain, a native of Azad Kashmir and an Army foot soldier No.335139 who fought in the 1965 Pak India war in Kashmir and as far as Pakistan was concerned he was listed missing in action and presumed dead. Turns out he was wounded and taken prisoner, denied POW status kept as prisoner and subjected to such horrible torture that he is missing his tongue, cannot speak, is mentally unstable now, missing nails on hands and feet and does not remember or recognize anything.
Unmarried but engaged at the time, his mother mother kept waiting for his return. When she died, she was buried at the entrance of the village at her request, so that she could 'meet' her son when he returned. On the homecoming of the soldier, neither his parents, nor his brother of Tarrar Khal were in this world to receive him. One of his two sisters is alive. Perhaps she would have not recognized him as he has lost his identification.
Years after gathering little pieces of information to rediscover his story there is a play released in Pakistan just recently that claims (haven't been able to find how they come up with this) he was forced to denounce Pakistan verbally and had his tongue cut when he refused and shows him writing (translated), long live Pakistan with his blood.
He was honored at the ceremony that unveiled the play where he was present, guided by another person as he walked on the stage with a blank face. Pakistani Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani walked up to greet him as he was visibly unable to understand the reason of the applause.
Maqbool Hussain has been accommodated in intensive care and full affection in Azad Kashmir Regimental Centre which is his home, now.
