India is like second home for us: Pakistan nationals

Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 26

Despite strained Indo-Pak relations patients of Pakistan have to face no trouble in visiting India for better medical facilities. Authorities of Fortis Hospital claimed that in past 18 months, as many as seven Pakistan nationals have undergone liver transplantation surgery at the hospital.

Jamaluddin, a 48-year-old vegetable merchant from Karachi, is all set to go back to his country on Saturday after his treatment. “Our visit to India showed us that this country is like a second home. During our stay here, we never felt that we are not in our country. People are so warm and affectionate that we didn’t face any problem,” said Jamaluddin.

Sharing similar sentiments, his donor brother-in-law Peer Muhammad (32), a cloth merchant from the Balochistan, said though their visit was for some serious reasons but it (the visit) has changed our views towards India and people. “We got so much love and affection from local people, relatives of other patients and staff here. I am sure people of both countries don’t want any enmity between the two countries,” said Peer Muhammad adding that they were impressed as the hospital staff had made arrangements for hassle- free ‘namaaz’ and also regular visits to the nearby mosque. They said both countries should have cordial relations so that people can visit and enjoy hospitality.

Dr Ashish Singhal and Dr Vivek Vij, liver transplant surgeons, said better medical facilities attract patients from across the border. “We have performed living donor liver transplant on seven Pakistani nationals since April last year,” said Dr Singhal. “As surgery of various ailements is much cheaper in India than Pakistan, Pakistan nationals prefer it,” said a doctor.