Seven Indians Repatriated by Pakistan After Accidental Border Crossing During 2023 Floods

In a significant humanitarian development, Pakistan on Saturday repatriated seven Indian citizens who had been detained after inadvertently crossing the international border during the severe floods of 2023, officials confirmed. The transfer took place at the Attari Integrated Check Post in punjab under established bilateral protocols.

According to Arun Mahal, protocol officer at the Attari gate, clearance instructions from both India and Pakistan were received earlier in the day, paving the way for the handover. “The seven detainees were formally handed over to the BSF by the Pakistani Rangers and subsequently taken to the Customs and Immigration offices to complete necessary formalities,” Mahal told news agency ANI.

Of the seven repatriated individuals, four belong to Ferozepur district, while one each hails from Jalandhar and Ludhiana in Punjab. The seventh individual is from Uttar Pradesh. Officials stated that all seven were swept into Pakistani territory while attempting to save livestock or property during intense flooding along the India-Pakistan border in 2023.

Recounting his ordeal, one of the returnees said a strong water current forced them across the border fencing. “The flow was so powerful that three of US crossed over unknowingly. When we reached a Pakistani village and requested help to return to India, we were handed over to the Pakistani Army. They did not accept our explanation that it was accidental,” he said.

He further alleged that the men were blindfolded, taken away, and later sentenced to one year in custody. “We are thankful to the Indian government for ensuring our return,” he added.

Another repatriated individual claimed he spent more than two and a half years in detention. “I was kept locked inside a room most of the time. They would bring me out only to beat me and then confine me again,” he alleged, describing the conditions of his incarceration.

A third returnee said he was detained for nearly three months and urged the Indian authorities to secure the release of other nationals still lodged in Pakistani jails. “There are more Indians there. Around eighteen people are in a mental health facility. We were beaten, and I was kept on remand for 28 days,” he told ANI.

Another individual narrated how he was swept across the border while trying to save agricultural equipment during the monsoon. “I went to rescue a tractor, but the current dragged me into Pakistan. When I asked locals for help, they handed me over to the military. I was sentenced to one year and fined Rs 10,000. I crossed the border in July 2023,” he said, appealing for the repatriation of others still detained.

Officials noted that India and Pakistan have been engaging through diplomatic channels to facilitate the return of individuals who unintentionally cross the border, particularly during floods and monsoon-related disasters in the Punjab sector. Such incidents are not uncommon during periods of extreme weather, when border demarcations become difficult to identify.

The repatriation of the seven Indians is being seen as a positive outcome of sustained diplomatic engagement, even as families continue to await the return of other citizens believed to be in Pakistani custody under similar circumstances.