PoW’s wife observing ‘Karva Chauth’ since 1971

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 19

For the last 45 years, Angrej Kaur is observing “Karva Chauth” even as she has not seen her husband Surjit Singh who went missing during the Indo-Pak war in 1971.

Angrez Kaur believes that one day her husband will return home. Surjit Singh was a BSF sepoy who is lodged in a Pakistan jail as a prisoner of war (PoW) since 1971.

For all these years, Angrej Kaur and her son Amrik Singh continue to waffle between hope and despair. They pray for better relations between India and Pakistan, hoping that it would help in the release of Surjit Singh.

The bitter relations between the two nations, especially after the surgical strikes by the Indian Army across the LoC, have again left the family crestfallen.

They met Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj a few days ago. “Sushma Swaraj has assured us all help in tracing my father. But all we have got after meeting the authorities is assurances that never bore any fruit in the last 45 years,” rues Amrik Singh.

“My son was barely one year old when my husband was captured by the Pakistan rangers during the 1971 war,” said Angrej Kaur, adding that they had also sought former Pakistan minister Ansar Burney's help in tracing Surjit Singh and his repatriation.