Musharraf visit raises fresh hopes kin of PoWs
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's successful visit to India has given fresh hopes among families of Indian Prisoners of War (PoWs) of return of their kin jailed in Pakistan.
In a joint statement on Monday, Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had declared the peace process between India and Pakistan "irreversible". They also announced a fresh set of Confidence Building Measures, especially on softening the border issue over Kashmir.
The families of two PoWs, who have been missing since war in 1971, showed hopes that the recent thaw between India and Pakistan would give a pavement for the return of their men.
"We are very glad that both the countries are thinking on the same lines. My brother was taken prisoner of war in 1971 war for which we had lots of messages, by radio and wireless messages. Till 1988 we had been hearing that they were housed in the jails but nothing has been talked about during the (recent meetings between) Indian government and the Pakistan authorities, especially General Musharraf," said J.C. Sharma, Retired Lt. Colonel, brother of PoW Captain K.C. Sharma.
"An Indian soldier has written in his book that Indian PoWs are housed in Pakistan jails. We feel that now that our relations are improving then there are bright chances of them being released," said Vivek Guleri, nephew of PoW Major S.C. Guleri.
The list of government contains name of 54 PoWs, which it says Pakistan failed to return in exchange of the captives after the war. But on the other hand, Pakistan denies charges of holding any Indian POWs. Pakistan even asked families of those who went missing in wars to visit Pakistani prisons to see if anyone was housed there.
Some families, who were allowed to visit Pakistani prisons, complained that their access was curtailed. (ANI)