The legal process to send Pakistani teen Nasir Sultan home has begun.
An Indian lawyer-friend of Pakistani rights activist Ansar Burney moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday to secure his release. The two-country initiative comes after HT highlighted the plight of the boy, who crossed over to India chasing Bollywood dreams.
“My friend Ranjan Lakhan Pal has moved a writ (petition). This is a perfect case for compassion on humanitarian grounds,” Burney said.
Punjab DGP NPS Aulakh said Nasir’s case would be taken up with the state government. “Since he violated the passport Act, we’ll have to examine what best can be done,” he said.
Nasir faces trial in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate JS Behniwal at Ferozepur. His case will be heard next on November 7.
A downcast Nasir got a pair of jeans and a T-shirt from an official at the Faridkot correctional home as other juveniles received gifts and sweets from relatives on Diwali eve.
Pal said the petition asked the court to direct the state government to withdraw the case as the offender was a minor and his offence unintentional. It pleaded for a government policy to treat minors humanely if they crossed the border inadvertently. The petition is likely to be heard on Wednesday.
Burney said he would soon meet Indian leaders to seek Nasir’s release.
{{/usCountry}}Burney said he would soon meet Indian leaders to seek Nasir’s release.
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