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Our relatives are in Attock Fort: Families of PoWs

Basharat Peer in New Delhi

Despite Pakistan maintaining that there are no prisoners of war in Pakistani jails, the families of the 54 missing officers have not lost hope. They have reasons to believe that their kin are being held in Attock Fort in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had, during the Agra summit, taken up the issue of PoWs with Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.

The Pak president, soon after reaching Islamabad, ordered a search for Indian PoWs in Pakistani jails. On Thursday, Interior Secretary Tasneem Noorani told reporters in Islamabad that the search had yielded nothing.

However, the Pakistani administration promised that the exercise could be repeated if doubts persisted on the Indian side.

"The fact is that it is difficult for Pakistan to accept the presence as PoWs on its soil. But we are sure they are in Pakistani jails. We have been told by various people that the missing officers have been kept in Attock Fort," Bharat Suri, brother of Major Ashok Suri, said.

Bharat Suri recently met Asma Jehangir, the chairperson of the Pakistan National Human Rights Commission, in New Delhi. "Asmaji told me that she knew of the presence of missing Indian soldiers in Attock Fort. But she expressed her inability to do anything as only the Pakistani Army has access to the fort," he said.

Mohal Lal Bhaskar, a resident of Ferozepur, Punjab, was in Pakistani jails under spying charges. After his release, he submitted in an affidavit filed in a court that during his stay in Pakistani jails, he had gathered information about several Indian PoWs being held in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore.

"Col. Asif Shafi of the Second Punjab Regiment of Pakistan confirmed that more than 45 officers of the Indian Army, including Wing Commander H S Gill and others, were being held in Attock Fort," Bhaskar said in his affidavit.

On June 16,1975, parents of Major Ashok Suri received his letter from Karachi jail saying: "I am OK (in Pakistan)." They received another letter from him on August 13,1975, which said there were at least 20 officers in Pakistani jails. The letter pleaded: "Please approach the Indian government."

Roop Lal Saharia, a spy who was in a Pakistan jail from 1974 to 2000, on his repatriation confirmed the presence of many Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails.

In its December 24,1971 issue Time magazine carried a photograph of an Indian prisoner in Pakistan. He was Major A K Ghosh. He is yet to return to India.

"If Musharraf has a clear conscience, he would release our children. It would not make a difference if he labels them spies or prisoners of war or anything. In fact, M L Bhaskar, told me that the missing officers have been charged under Defence of Pakistan Rules for spying," H Kaura, father of Captain Ravinder Kaura, a PoW, told rediff.com.

Relatives of the 54 missing defence officers are planning to meet External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh to plead their case once again.

"We are sure Pakistan would release them. But the Indian government must press its case," Bharat Suri said.

Indo-Pak Summit 2001: The Complete Coverage

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