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Indian and Pakistani border guards take part in the Wagah border ceremony. (Sameer Sehgal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
A 21-year-old autistic Pakistani youngster named Abdullah, who had illegally crossed over the Attari-Wagah border last year, ostensibly to meet his favourite movie star Shah Rukh Khan, is all set to be repatriated back to his home country, after spending one year and seven months lodged in Amritsar Jail, reports The Tribune.
Incidentally, Shah Rukh Khan had himself played an autistic protagonist in his move ‘My name is Khan.’
Abdullah had managed to jump over the Zero line into India after witnessing the Wagah border ceremony. He told Border Security Force (BSF) personnel that he had entered India to meet Shah Rukh Khan.
Pakistani Rangers informed the BSF that the boy was mentally ill and should just be sent back, but he was booked under the Foreigners Act, 1946, and sentenced to six months imprisonment at Amritsar Jail. Since the matter came to light, Pakistani officials sent a number of note verbales to Indian authorities through diplomatic channels, requesting Abdullah’s repatriation.
He is finally going to be released and be sent back to Pakistan on 26 December. Abdullah is the son of one Zarawar Khan and hails from Swat in north-western Pakistan.
His repatriation follows the recent arrival of Mumbai resident Hamid Ansari back in India, who spent six years in jail at Peshawar on allegations of being a spy.
Another Pakistani, Mohd Imran Warsi, is also to be released soon after languishing at a Bhopal jail for ten years.
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