ISLAMABAD: Pakistan issued a visa to an Indian citizen who recently reunited with his brother, 74 years after they were separated during the Partition in 1947, the nation’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi said.
A video of the reunion of two brothers, Sikka Khan, a resident of the northwestern state of Punjab in India, and Muhammad Siddique from Faisalabad, went viral on social media earlier this month.
The video showed an emotional union after they met for the first time at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Narowal.
In New Delhi, Pakistan High Commission said they have issued a visa to Khan to visit his brother and other family members in Pakistan.
Today, Pakistan High Commission issues visa to Sika Khan to visit his brother, Muhammed Siddique and other family members in Pakistan. The two brothers separated in 1947 were recently reunited after 74 years at Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. pic.twitter.com/SAmkGmaQKT
— Pakistan High Commission India (@PakinIndia) January 28, 2022
“The story of the two brothers is a powerful illustration of how the historic opening of the visa-free Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in November 2019 by Pakistan is bringing people closer to each other,” the commission said in the statement posted on social media.
After the first meeting at Kartarpur, the two brothers demanded a visa be issued to them so that they can meet frequently.
HOW WERE THEY REUNITED?
During the Partition in 1947, Siddique was staying at his home in Jugaraun village in Ludhiana in India with his younger sister and father, when his mother left to meet her family with Habib (who later on got the name of Sikka Khan) in Phulewal village.
When Siddique’s village came under attack at the time of Partition, his father fled with him and his younger sister towards Faisalabad. On their way, the father was killed and the sister also later died due to severe illness.
On the other hand, the mother was not able to bear the trauma and took her life and child Habib was left one, who was believed to be then aged 10-year-old.
In 2019, Nasir Dhillon, a YouTuber from Faisalabad, had uploaded a video in which Siddique looking for his brother was shown. A medical practitioner from the Phulewal village in Indian Punjab, Jasgir Singh, contacted Dhillon and finally, a video call was arranged between the two brothers.
Earlier this month, the two brothers met at the Kartarpur Gurdwara temple for the first time in an emotional meeting that melted the hearts across the borders.
