Himachal Pradesh: NGO says ‘Pak woman’ in shelter wants to go back

The 42-year-old woman was picked up by police at Kasauli in Himachal’s Solan district and lodged at Nari Sewa Sadan since August. Umang Foundation, a public welfare trust, claimed Tuesday that the woman is a Pakistani national and wants to go back home if her family is traced.

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Ajai Srivastava, a rights activist and chairman of the foundation, said, “The woman told me her name was Mahammada, was married to one Rajaah, and lived in Mohalla Noorana of Gujrat in Pakistan. She does not remember how she reached Kasauli, from where she was brought to the shelter on the order of a local court. Her story seems similar to Geeta’s — the deaf and mute girl who strayed from Pakistan in 2003 and returned to India after intervention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an NGO in Pakistan.”

Srivastava said he had visited Nari Sewa Sadan. “I spoke to the woman at length and reached the conclusion that she is Pakistani. I asked people (rights activists) in Pakistan to verify her address, but they could not make much headway. The matter needs further verification,” he added.

His claim was, however, disputed by J K Katwal, director of the social and women empowerment department. “I have personally spoken to the woman thrice. She traces her origin to Gujarat (India) and married in Bihar. Her husband is in the police service there. We are checking the details and have written to local authorities in Gujarat and Bihar. It is not fair to jump to conclusions before the reports are received. I doubt she is Pakistani,” he told The Indian Express.

The woman is being provided proper care and counselling beside health checks until her origins are traced, Katwal added.

Srivastava, who had earlier alleged human rights violations at the home, said the Himachal Pradesh HC had, on a PIL filed by him, directed the government to take care of ‘mentally ill’ inmates.