Shaurya Chakra awardee's mother served repatriation notice won't have to leave, has passport—J&K Police
As word of the repatriation notice to Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh's mother spread quickly, media outlets widely reported that Shameema Akhtar, who faced inevitable repatriation to Pakistan, and her husband had walked into Rashtrapati Bhavan to collect the Shaurya Chakra from President Droupadi Murmu for their son's bravery.
Speaking to ThePrint, Basit said that his mother, Shameema Akhtar, shared her name with another woman in Baramulla and that the district administration later conceded it served the repatriation notice by mistake to the 65-year-old woman.
New Delhi: The Baramulla district administration's repatriation notice to the slain Shaurya Chakra awardee Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh's mother was a case of mistaken identity, her younger son Basit Maqsood said.
By late evening on Tuesday, the Baramulla district police had released a statement. 'Reports circulating on social media regarding the alleged repatriation of the mother of martyr Constable Mudasir Ahmad Bindaas are false, baseless, and categorically denied.'
'J&K Police acknowledges the legacy of martyr Constable Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh, who laid down his life in the line of duty and was posthumously honoured with the Shaurya Chakra. His sacrifice is a matter of immense pride for Jammu and Kashmir Police and the entire nation,' the police statement added.
India, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, has issued repatriation notices to Pakistan-origin residents, with deadlines by when they should leave, depending on their visas. Those who refuse to comply with the repatriation notices face arrest, prosecution, and potential fines or imprisonment. Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed state governments to enforce the deadline.
Originally hailing from a village in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) just across the border, Shameema Akhtar came to Uri town, Baramulla, sometime before 1990. Then, she and Mohammed Maqsood (75), a retired police officer of the J&K Police, married and settled in the district.
Officers in J&K Police said the name—Shameema Akhtar—appeared on the list of 12 Pakistan-origin residents who faced repatriation. However, when her Indian passport 'came to light', they removed her name.
'She holds an Indian passport. So, there was no need for any further action after this came to light,' Baramulla Senior Superintendent of Police Gurinderpal Singh told ThePrint.
While the Baramulla SSP refused to comment on how long Shameema Akhtar has had the passport, her son Basit Maqsood confirmed that she has had the document since 2022.
Also Read: Pahalgam attack aftermath: Gurez & Machil among over 80 tourist spots closed for visitors in Kashmir
Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh killed by JeM
Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh died in an encounter between security forces and JeM terrorists in Baramulla in May 2022. Sheikh was a special police officer of constable rank in J&K Police.
Nearly five months after his death, Amit Shah, along with J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and then-Inspector General of Police of Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar, visited his house and met his parents.
A month later, in November 2022, the central square in Baramulla town was renamed 'Bindaas Chowk' in a tribute to Sheikh, also known as 'Bindaas' by his colleagues and brothers.
Basit Maqsood, the 27-year-old younger brother of Sheikh, currently works in the United Arab Emirates. The option of dying in India was better for the family than returning to Pakistan, he told ThePrint.
'We deserve to live in India. We will live and die here. We would never have gone to Pakistan, come what may. What do we have to do with that country? My brother jumped into the encounter and killed three terrorists of Jaish, whose operatives are very active in Pakistan. How secure would it be for my mother anyway?' Basit told ThePrint.
'The notice was an unfair decision. We must have done something for India and our family to get such a big award [Shaurya Chakra]. My brother sacrificed himself to save the lives of innocent and unarmed people before the Amarnath Yatra,' he added.
Basit Maqsood also said that his mother arrived in India more than 40 years ago, and the family had no relatives in Pakistan. 'We have no contacts or any relatives whom we know of in Pakistan for my mother to return to,' he said.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Also Read: Pakistani nationals in India get relief as MHA expands exemption list, eases deportation threat
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