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Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘We just want them home': Punjab families await return of their sons amid escalating Israel-Iran tensions
Amid an open conflict between Israel and Iran, a wave of fresh anxiety has swept through three villages in Punjab. The families of Husanpreet Singh (27), Amritpal Singh (23), and Jaspal Singh (32)— who were kidnapped in Iran while attempting to migrate to Australia — are clinging to hope, even as fears grow over their safe return from a region now gripped by military chaos. Even as the families said that they trust the Indian government, which has assured them of the men's safe return, their fears have intensified with Iran now embroiled in a full-blown tension. The three men, who hail from Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar, were missing for weeks after falling victim to a transnational human trafficking ring. Having paid Rs 18 lakh each to travel agents based in Hoshiarpur who had promised a legal entry to Australia, their journey was derailed in Tehran, where they were kidnapped, beaten, and held for ransom. Manpreet Singh, cousin of 27-year-old Husanpreet Singh from Dhuri who received a phone call from an Iranian number on June 3, said, 'Can't explain in words, it was such a big relief when he first called saying he is safe now. He said that the Indian authorities have rescued them and they were now being taken to the embassy.' He started calling us daily after that saying that the formalities for their return were being completed. And now, with news of fresh tension, we are very worried.' Yudhvir Singh, cousin of 23-year-old Amritpal Singh said, 'We waited through silence, torture videos, and ransom threats. Now we wait through the Israel-Iran tension. They told us then that they are now safe,' he added. Ashok Kumar, brother of Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar, added that Jaspal had told him last week that it would take at least a week for them to return. 'But now this conflict has added a new layer. We saw the news about how Israeli forces struck multiple Iranian facilities, and how Iran has responded with attacks on Israel,' he said. He added, 'Jaspal told us that due to their prolonged stay in Tehran after the kidnapping, new travel documents are being prepared. This process has caused delays; otherwise, they would have returned by now, as they were rescued by Iranian police on the evening of June 3. It has now been 10 days since their rescue.' What began in April as a dream migration quickly turned into a nightmare. After being flown to Dubai, the three were taken to Iran under a false promise of onward flights to Australia. There they were stripped, and tortured by captors allegedly linked to a Pakistan-based human trafficking syndicate.
India Today
25-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Amid India-Pak tensions, Kartarpur corridor remains open for pilgrims
Amid tensions between India and Pakistan, Kartarpur corridor remains open for pilgrimsAmid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district remains open for pilgrims to offer prayers at the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in the neighbouring Kartarpur corridor links the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Devotees on Friday continued to visit the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak for paying obeisance at the historic gurdwara in pilgrims sought that the Kartarpur corridor should remain open."The corridor should remain open for pilgrims," said a Sikh devotee from Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district.A woman pilgrim too said the corridor should not be pilgrims strongly condemned the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam and said exemplary action should be taken against the people, mostly tourists, were killed and several injured when terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday Kartarpur corridor was opened on November 9, 2019 on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake visa-free travel throughout the year to the historic gurdwara in to an agreement signed between India and Pakistan, a total of 5,000 pilgrims per day can cross over to the neighbouring country for paying obeisance at the Centre on Wednesday announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post, in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and any Pakistani national currently in India under the scheme had 48 hours to leave the decisions were taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was announced at the meeting that the integrated check-post (ICP) at Attari will be closed immediately and those who crossed over to Pakistan with valid documents may return through that route before May Centre on Thursday announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27 and advised Indian nationals residing in Pakistan to return home at the earliest as tensions between the two neighbours escalated following the Pahalgam InTrending Reel
NDTV
25-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Amid India-Pak Tensions, Kartarpur Corridor Remains Open For Pilgrims
Chandigarh: Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district remains open for pilgrims to offer prayers at the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara in the neighbouring country. The Kartarpur corridor links the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur. Devotees on Friday continued to visit the Kartarpur corridor at Dera Baba Nanak for paying obeisance at the historic gurdwara in Pakistan. The pilgrims sought that the Kartarpur corridor should remain open. "The corridor should remain open for pilgrims," said a Sikh devotee from Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district. A woman pilgrim too said the corridor should not be shut. The pilgrims strongly condemned the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam and said exemplary action should be taken against the perpetrators. Twenty-six people, mostly tourists, were killed and several injured when terrorists opened fire at a meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Tuesday afternoon. The Kartarpur corridor was opened on November 9, 2019 on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev's 550th birth anniversary. Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake visa-free travel throughout the year to the historic gurdwara in Pakistan. According to an agreement signed between India and Pakistan, a total of 5,000 pilgrims per day can cross over to the neighbouring country for paying obeisance at the gurdwara. The Centre on Wednesday announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post, in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam attack. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and any Pakistani national currently in India under the scheme had 48 hours to leave the country. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was announced at the meeting that the integrated check-post (ICP) at Attari will be closed immediately and those who crossed over to Pakistan with valid documents may return through that route before May 1. The Centre on Thursday announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27 and advised Indian nationals residing in Pakistan to return home at the earliest as tensions between the two neighbours escalated following the Pahalgam attack.
