Wagah, December 19
Happiness and tension both here writ large on the face of Shehnaz Parveen, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) as she finally returned home today. She was apprehensive of facing the wrath of ‘maulanas’ in her country of bearing Mobin Kosar, who was born after Shehnaz was raped by a Kashmiri constable in Poonch jail.

Shehnaz had jumped into the Neelam which divides PoK from Kashmir to commit suicide following a tiff with her family. However, Indian Army personnel spotted her and took her into the custody in 1995. Later she was lodged in Poonch jail on charges of crossing the Line of Control. Shehnaz was released from jail along with her daughter in 1996 but they could not be repatriated due to official wrangles as Pakistan flatly refused to accept Mobin, saying she was an Indian national. On June 21, 2002, she had to return from the Wagah joint check post as Pakistan authorities did not allow Shehnaz to enter since Mobin was accompanying her.

Today was a happy moment as Shehnaz and Mobin finally entered Pakistan. However, she feared that the ‘maulanas’ could raise a hue and cry and could ask her to prove her innocence as per Islamic laws.

It is a first case of its kind when a Muslim woman was raped in an Indian jail and it is yet to be seen how the ‘maulanas’ would react to this episode. Mobin’s maternal uncle, had sought the help of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan to secure Mobin’s entry into Pakistan.