Sri Lankan woman who couldn't leave Pakistan for 18 years after overstaying visa to return to Colombo

A 65-year-old Sri Lankan woman, who couldn't leave Pakistan for 18 years because of a heavy fine imposed on her by authorities for overstaying her visa, will finally reunite with her children in Colombo.

Rashina (who only uses her first name) told the media on Friday that she remained in Karachi as an illegal alien for 18 years because she didn't have money to pay her Pakistani Rs 2.2 million fine.

“I come from a poor family in Colombo and not even my relatives were in a position to help me pay the fine and get a ticket back home,” she said.

Faisal Edhi, chairperson of the Abdul Sattar Edhi Foundation, said on Saturday that the plight of the Sri Lankan woman moved him and the Edhi Trust with the help of another charitable organisation, Saylani, and human rights lawyer, Zia Awan, fought her case to get her back to Colombo.

He said the government had imposed a 2.2 million- rupee fine on Rashina for overstaying illegally in Karachi.

Sharing her story, Rashina said that she was born in Sri Lanka and worked in Kuwait where she met Javed Iqbal, from Pakistan Punjab, and they fell in love and got married.

She said they moved to Saudi Arabia and lived there for 15 years but they lost their jobs and her husband decided to try his luck in Pakistan.

“I took my three children, two daughters and a son, with me to Colombo,” she said.

“Leaving my children in the care of my family in Colombo, I came to Pakistan on a visit visa to meet my husband in Mian Channu. But his family would not accept me. We left Punjab to come to Karachi where we found a small rented place," she said.

However, her husband fell seriously ill with liver disease and passed away.

She said she started sleeping in parks and used to go to Saylani Welfare Trust for meals where she met a volunteer, Abdul Hafeez, who took her to stay with his family.

“I am so grateful to Saylani as they took care of me even when I was with Hafeez and his family.”         During her traumatic years, Rashina also had to undergo a heart bypass surgery and all her medical bills were paid for by Saylani Trust.

Fed up and frustrated, she one day showed up outside the Karachi Press Club and staged a sit-in pleading for help which drew the attention of journalists. They took her to Faisal Edhi's shelter home for women and also sought legal help.

Advocate Zia Awan said on Monday said they collectively filed a plea with the Constitutional Bench of the Sindh High Court which ordered for the interior secretary to appear before it.

“That was when Rashina's hefty fine was waived and she was ordered to leave Pakistan within 15 days,” Awan said.

With her Sri Lankan passport renewed, Saylani got her a one-way ticket home. Rashina is now all set to board her flight back home from Karachi on December 2.