Burney for release of Pakistani boys in Indian jails

Chandigarh, Oct 29 (PTI) In a ray of hope for 15-year-old
Nasir Sultan and seven other Pakistani teenagers, who are
currently lodged in a juvenile home in Punjab after
"inadvertently" crossing into India, Human Rights activist
Ansar Burney has vowed to take up their cause with the Indian
authorities.

Nasir had left home in Gunwardi in Pakistan's North West
Frontier Province (N.W.F.P.) in August with a dream to become
a Bollywood hero. However, he was caught by the Border
Security Force (B.S.F.) while crossing the border and sent to
the Faridkot juvenile home.

"He (Nasir) is a teenager who has a passion to become a
Bollywood hero...He has a great respect for India and was here
to brighten his career. After being caught he should have been
handed over to Pakistan authorities," Burney said.

"I am prepared for rehabilitation of the boy and furnish
his bail bonds," the Pakistani rights activist, who came here
to meet his Indian lawyer-friend, said.

Burney has also taken up the cause of 28-year-old Barho,
currently lodged in a mental asylum at Kolkata.

"I am leaving for Kolkata on Friday to take up the cause
of Barho who claimed she is a resident of Pakistan-Occupied
Kashmir," he told P.T.I. here.

He said he had learnt from certain sources that Barho is
presently medically unsound and is lodged in a mental asylum
in Kolkata. "She has told them that she belonged to Kashmir in
Pakistan and she came to India about a decade back with a
delegation of doctors."

"I am going to Kolkata to verify facts and subsequently
her release from the metal asylum," Burney said, adding that
"Barho can talk a bit now."

The activist said he would meet officials of Indian
External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi Thursday to take up the
case of Pakistani children and Bahro. PTI VJ
PMR
NNNN