Dear Ms Ayesha,
I am a retired Indian Army Officer. During 1971 War, India had over 96,000 Pakistani prisoners of War. Notwithstanding, our political leadership failed to capitalize in resolving Kashmir issue, water dispute, Sir Creek, minorities problems in Pakistan and release of our 74 prisoners against over 96’ooo of Pakistani prisoners India had.
Kindly go throng complete mail & read & analyze articles by Brig Qadir who was a Pakistani prisoner in India & that of Col Joe Indian prisoner in Pakistani captivity who was released and think over the treatment all those 74 still languishing in Pakistani jails for over v40 years must be meeting. It is I would say one of the GREATEST human tragedies. Imagine the nightmare families are going through. These young men in 1971 fought the adversary as your soldiers did with their adversary but after the war when efforts for normalization are being made sadly these 74 prisoners are no where in any scene.
I wish I had your email ID & phone number.Kindly email & so of Assma Jahangir & other like minded people who can understand this human tragedy.
Best regards,
Col Bhatia
Mob 09818044762

From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
Subject: Pak POW vs Indian POW, Kind Attention Editor, The Dawn
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:08:41 +0530

Dear Gaurav,
There are 74 Indian military prisoners held in Pakistan since 1971 war. It is ironic while we released all Pakistani prissiness (over 96,0000, we could not resolve Kashmir dispute, River Water dispute, Sir Creek minorities issue & release of our 74 prisoners held by Pakistan. It is greatest human tragedy.
Your illustrious father .Brig Sawnat, VSM (Retd) has been kept informed of my initiatives to get these unfortunate Countrymen who gave threir youth being wasted in Pakistani jails in utter inhuman conditions.
Have little patience & request go through complete mail .That will take you 5 minutes & kindly do the best thro electronic medium..Why can not you too organize Ms Barkha Datt type debate o your channel with participants from India, Pakistan & abroad.
Regards & best wishes,
Col Bhatia
Mob 9818044762

From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
Subject: Pak POW vs Indian POW, Kind Attention Editor, The Dawn
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:50:22 +0530

Dear Veterans,
I am sending you the entire mail /correspondence over release of our 74 prisoners of war held by Pakistan. I was disappointed by the reply of Lt Gen Raj Kadyan.
Kindly advise me how to about it. I have written to India Today, TOI, Dawn, Friday Times NDTV, Def Secy etc.
Warm regards,
Nini Bhatia
Mob 09818044762

From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
To: editor@dawn.com
Subject: Pak POW vs Indian POW, Kind Attention Editor, The Dawn
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2012 16:21:43 +0530

Dear Mr Zaffar Abbas,
Editor The Dawn

I am a retired Indian Army Officer and I do appreciate your efforts in normalising relations between our two neigbouring countries that were one till recent past history. We have common culture and social norms and I vouch for them as an old Sargodha lad..

I request for little effort at your end. Kindly go through this correspondence from the first article written by Brig Mahmood Qadir of Pakistani Army who was a prisoner of war in 1971 Bangladesh liberation war praising Subedar Doongar Singh of Indian Army followed by long correspondence with Brig Qadir & others in highlighting plight of 74 Indian prisoners languishing in Pakistani jails since 1971 war. It is worst form of human tragedy & nothing much has been done to get them back honourably 7 unite them with their families. They have lost their youth in Pakistani jails going through the most barbaric, sadist living conditions,exposed to sodomy by hardened Pakistani criminals and deprived of basic medical and living conditions.

Can we ensure taking up the issue with Pak intellectuals, media, human right organisations, judiciary,people like Ms Assma Jahangir, Nijam Sethi ( Friday Times), politicians like Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif and other means like diplomatically and international pressure.

Lets endeavour these unfortunate Indians who fought for their motherland are returned and rehablitated honourably by the next Diwali .

Col NN Bhatia
A-27, Sector 30
Noida (UP)-201303
Mob 9818044762

From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
To: brig.jasbir.singh@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Pak POW
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 08:50:01 +0530

Thank you Jasbir.
You can understand the pain of the families involved as your own illustrious & brave father Brig Balbir Singh was a PoW with tow more brother offrs who escaped from Singapore walking thro the jungles & mountains in hostile territory & climate finally reaching India after months’ treacherous march & were decorated with well deserved Military Cross each. You may be not have been born or were too small then.
Like old spider’s story’ We must Try Try Again & Again’ against heavy odds I keep going with support of like minded friends like you.
We must awaken the dead sleeping conscience both sides of the Indo-Pak border. I am sad BUT NOT disappointed as yet.

Regards,

Col NN Bhatia (Retd)
A-27, Sector 30, Noida (UP)-201303
India
Mob 09818044762

Subject: Re: Pak POW
To: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
From: brig.jasbir.singh@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 02:01:16 +0000

Good Morning Sir. Your efforts on the POW issue are like Gold! But even a golden nail trying to penetrate the stupid & hard conscience of self serving people like Kadyan, must bend! But we will continue our efforts & retain hope for the gallant 54!
Cheers
Jas
Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel
From: Col NN Bhatia
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 19:06:56 +0530
To: Jasbir
Subject: RE: Pak POW
Jasbir, ek shaiyar ne kaha hai,’ ek doobne wale ko tinke sahara hai. Dil leke bhula dena ek khel tumhara hai.’
Luv
NNB

Subject: Re: Pak POW
To: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
From: brig.jasbir.singh@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 13:24:15 +0000

Dear Sir
You are barking up a wrong tree. Like the IESL, nothing will ever come out of all your efforts. Its sad but true!
Cheers
Jas
Sent from BlackBerry® on Airtel
From: Col NN Bhatia
Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 12:40:34 +0530
To:
Subject: RE: Pak POW
Sir,
It was sad indeed & I was totally shell shocked.
Kindly read my email that I had replied hi which is highlighted below.
Can we do something for the release of these 74 unfortunate men. They could include you me, Lt Gen Kadyan..any one on call of his or her duty.
Regards,
NNB.

From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
To: rajkadyan8@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Pak POW
Date: Mon, 28 May 2012 10:26:56 +0530

Dear Sir,
It will be by then too late..They are already languishing in most barbaric & sadist conditions in Pakistani jails for 40 LONG years.Is this the price one pays fighting for the safety ,honour and integrity of the country..? The saddest part of this gravest human tragedy faced by the captive soldiers of victorious 1971 War is while Pakistanis got their 96,000 prisoners released, we could not get our victims honourably home, what to say of resolving Kashmir or other bilateral problems.Is this the motivation for younger generation to join the armed forces..?
I feel sad & disillusioned. Why can not we bring to public’s notice our government’s this failing & inertia along with our ‘OROP’ demands or Anna’s fight against corruption.
Has conscience of the country died..?
Regards,
NNB

Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 23:51:24 -0700
From: ayepee99@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Pak POW
To: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com

Dear Col Bhatia,
I find it a bit surprising the remarks made by Lt Gen Raj Kadyan on your email to take up the quest for release of Indian soldiers languishing in Pakistani jails. Is this not welfare of ESM? Is this not welfare of the wives of those POWs who have been reduced to widow-status due to incompetence of the Indian government and senior Army Officers who have failed to keep the pressure on the Govt to act on the issue?
The IESM seems to be more focussed now in getting TV coverage as is obvious in the recent past, than taking up real issues which concerns the soldiers. Most of the POWs would have retired anyway by now.
Regards,
AP
From: Col NN Bhatia
To:
Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 12:10 PM
Subject: FW: Pak POW

Dear countrymen,
I got the write up by Brig Mahmood Qadir of Pakistani Army who was a PoW in India after v1971 War on goodness of Sub Doongar Singh, JCO in charge PoW Camp in Ranchi. I have tried to evoke feelings in him about 74 Indian PoWs still languishing in Pakistani jails which our Government should have got released before handing over 96,000 Pak Pows besides signing agreement on Kashmir ,Sir Creek & water distribution & other problems with Pakistan. I have written to Lt Gen Raj Kadyan also and I am sure he is planning to do something concrete on this issue to stir conscience of both India & Pakistan..
Kindly have patience and time to read from the first email to last to understand gravity of the issue. I wish, next Diwali, these sufferers of greatest human tragedy, celebrate with their families.
Col NN Bhatia
09818044762
From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
To: rajkadyan8@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Pak POW
Date: Mon, 28 May 2012 10:26:56 +0530

Dear Sir,
It will be by then too late..They are already languishing in most barbaric & sadist conditions in Pakistani jails for 40 LONG years.Is this the price one pays fighting for the safety ,honour and integrity of the country..? The saddest part of this gravest human tragedy faced by the captive soldiers of victorious 1971 War is while Pakistanis got their 96,000 prisoners released, we could not get our victims honourably home, what to say of resolving Kashmir or other bilateral problems.Is this the motivation for younger generation to join the armed forces..?
I feel sad & disillusioned. Why can not we bring to public’s notice our government’s this failing & inertia along with our ‘OROP’ demands or Anna’s fight against corruption.
Has conscience of the country died..?
Regards,
NNB

From: rajkadyan8@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 27 May 2012 17:41:27 +0530
Subject: Re: FW: Pak POW
To: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com

Dear NN,
We certainly can/will take up after our main demands are met.

On 27 May 2012 17:33, Col NN Bhatia wrote:

Dear General,
I do understand charter of IESM & it is doing really great job against govt’s non acceptance of our legitimate demands.
But I have one quarry -if every one will only fight only for the mandated issues who will fight for these servicemen who were were once our comrades in arms & in any case would have been servicemen like all of us if they were in India.. May be IESM can not take up this issue and Govt has also not been able to get their release who will take up such issues? It does effect morale,combat effectiveness and national pride.
Warm regards,
NNB

From: rajkadyan8@gmail.com
Date: Sun, 27 May 2012 16:30:27 +0530
Subject: Re: Pak POW
To: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com

Dear NN,
I appreciate and support your efforts in getting our colleagues released. The IESM as an organisation has a well-charted and somewhat restricted mandate to secure welfare of ESM and widows. We wish to keep our focus on these problems so as not to diffuse our main thrust

On 27 May 2012 10:49, Col NN Bhatia wrote:

Dear General,

I was fwd mail of one retired Brig Mehmood Qadir of Pakistan Army who was a prisoner of war in India after 1971 War. Brig Qadir has praised Sub Doongar Singh’s conduct as the JCO in charge of the prisoner of war camp that makes any Indian proud. Luckily Brig Qadir’s email ID was mentioned & ever since I have raised the issue of release of 74 of our prisoners held in their custody since the 1971 war. We won the war ,released Pakistani 96,000 or so prisoners but forgot to sort out J&K problem,Sir Creek issue, river water dispute, Siachin & release of our prisoners still languishing in Pakistani jails for the last 40 years. What could be bigger human tragedy for the effected families..!

If you go through all the emails listed below, you will learn how in 1988 I took up though unsuccessfully the issue of Capt Kaura, VrC who was a FOO and captured in the Western Sector. Since you are fighting for the ex-servicemen ‘One Rank One Pension’ cause,I feel you should rightly take up the issue of the release of comrades in arms languishing in the Pakistani jails for the last 40 years through MOD, Ministry of External Affairs, MHA, NGOs, Human Right Organizations, the US, International Red Cross , media, intellectuals on both sides, diplomats & diplomacy and who so ever matters in their release at the earliest.

Lets hope these prisoners are released whose prime of life has been wasted in the company of hardened criminals in Pakistani jails. I only speak of men in uniform held in Pakistan since v1971, though there are many fishermen, innocent people, petty criminals etc perhaps held by both the countries who be fairly tried by fast track courts in both the countries & released at earliest to resolve this human tragedy.

I do hope you got my mail on Sepoy Kabool Singh also.

It has been always a great pleasure meeting you in ex servicemen rallies besides that you were my instructor in Commando Course.
Let all of us including Brig Qadir with ‘missionary zeal’ ensure these unfortunate human beings are reunited with their families at the twilight of their lives.

Best regards,
Col Bhatia (Retd)
Mob 9818044762
Dear Brigadier,
I am sending you mail of my very dear friend & regimental officer Brig Jasbir Singh, SM (Retd).
As you were Indian prisoner of war so was his late father Brig Balbir Singh Japanese prisoner of war
in Singapore during WWII. Then Capt Balbir Singh & his two colleagues escaped from Singapore
prisoners of war camp and reached India after treacherous hard journey thro hostile terrain &
weather conditions. For their bravery they wee decorated with Military Cross each. Brig Jasbir is
reading all our correspondence & wishes like u & me for early release of Indian war prisoners.He also desires to gift his book to you provided he has your address.
You may mail him your address.
Lets hope for early release of Indian prisoners. The dark tunnelof human misery is on its end light of bright hope seen by these unfortunate victims and their families.
Amen.
Col Bhatia

TIMES OF INDIA NEWS ITEM

74 jawans languishing in Pak prisons
TNN May 6, 2010, 03.38am IST
NEW DELHI: An estimated 74 missing soldiers are languishing in Pakistani prisons, the government admitted on Wednesday.
Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, foreign minister S M Krishna said that among those missing men, 54 were Prisoners of War (PoWs)

Dear Sir,
Your sincere efforts to get the POWs back are to be admired and lauded.
I hope Brig Mehboob Qadir will have some good news soon. After reading

his mails, I can say with confidence he is an honourable soldier (no
better type of human being exists) and will surely try his best to
bring whatever cheer he can to the lonely families of the 54 POWs.
They must be old men and there is little time left! If I can get his

postal address in Pakistan, I will mail him the book [Escape from
Singapore] in which I have written about my father’s escape from a
Japanese POW Camp in Singapore (1942) and exciting trek to reach
India, after six eventful months and two more captures and escapes. By

the way, Japanese had spread dis-information that he had been captured
and shot – thus my mother’s great joy on seeing him alive.
Cheers,
Brig Jasbir Singh (retd)

From: clay.potter@hotmail.com
To: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Pak POW
Date: Mon, 21 May 2012 21:06:38 +0500

Dear Col Bhatia,

You have shown most admirable concern about the whereabouts and welbing of
not only the reportedly withheld Indian PoWs but also their humanitarian
consequences on their next of kin, friends and those who feel for them.

The matter is highly emotive and of great human suffering,just as it is
utterly unbelievable for me.Despite my full belief in what you say, I have
spent umpteen hours in pondering over this improbability ; can Pakistan ever
do such a thing.What will it gain?I am torn between two utterly conflicting
positions and ,if by any chance true, burdened with the immense human
suffering it might have caused over the years.In my entire service and that
too a good part quite close with four successive Army Chiefs(Zia, Aslam Beg,
Jehangir Karamat and Waheed Kakar) I have never heard of this matter.It is
not possible that such an extremely revolting thing could remain hidden for
so long.I am not challenging your version but just stating my amazement.

I will have to hammer myself into believing this monstrosity.I can not say
what I could do but promise that I will never let it go out of my mind.

Warm Regards, Sincerely, Mehboob Qadir

From: narindra_bhatia@hotmail.com
Subject: Pak POW
Date: Mon, 21 May 2012 19:24:50 +0530

Dear Brigadier,
I was also posted as staff Capt in 62 Mtn Bde that operated from
Krishnanagar to Jessore & onwards axis. After the War, I handled lots of
Pakistani prisoners that were railed to many destinations in varous camps in
India. We treated all prisoners& ladies specially the children well & beyond
the norms of Geneva Convention. But I regret our 54 Military prisoners still
languish in Pakistani jails that you can make from Capt Kaura’s incident I
have narrated. On the net all these details are in public domain.

Gen Bhandari is dear friend & senior Officer but I shall appreciate that the
greatest tribute you can pay to Sub Doongar Singh is by getting these 54
Indian prisoners released. Please take the matter with your civil ,political
military leadership & media to highlight the plight of 54 Indian Prisoners
in Pak custody since 1971 war. this will bring India-Pakistan closer than
resumption of cricket matches. I being ex from Sargodha appeal to your
conscience as a soldier & an individual to get these unfortunate victims of
war released as your 96,000 prisoners were released after the war.

Col NN Bhatia
mob 09818044762

Will some body..may be Barkha Datt & Gaurav Sawant/print & electronic media
with conscience take this issue earnestly at the earliest with top national
priority.
Please read my comments on Capt Kaura too that make me think whsat we have
done for our prisoners all these years.
Col NN Bhatia (Retd)
98180447632

INDIA’S 54 PRICELESS TREASURES
By

Brig Jasbir Singh,SM (Veteran)

I have often wondered why we the citizens of our great country,
have all but forgotten the 54 Indian Prisoners-of-War, who are

reported to be languishing in Pakistani jails, since 1971! What really
make it totally reprehensible and heart wrenching, is the fact that
all these noble souls are servicemen from the Indian Army (IA) and
Indian Air Force (IAF). They were all captured while carrying out

orders and performing their solemn duty for Country and Service,
during a time of War. For just a moment, why can we not forget our
petty political and internal squabbles and make concerted efforts at
the national level to learn about the fate of these 54 priceless

Indian treasures. No self respecting nation or peoples will ever
forget their prisoners who are held by the enemy country! No nation
ever sheds its moral obligation to get their men back and never leaves
it only to the families and loved ones of the prisoners, to strive

with personal efforts to see their loved ones again. It has been a
lifetime for these brave-hearts in Pakistani jails with little hope of
ever going back home. The War ended for us all on 16 December 1971,
and we joyously celebrated the great victory. Thereafter, we have been

able to live full lives. But what of these prisoners? Being battered
from one jail to another in Pakistan has been their life’s quest for
the last 41 years! They would today have little hope of ever seeing
their loved ones again. What a down-right shame that these men who had

once proudly donned the uniforms of their Service/Nation, should have
to undergo such a tragedy. We have to be really thick-skinned to be
able to live our normal daily lives, knowing the terrible privations
these unfortunate prisoners are going through in enemy jails. For a

change, let us forget all else and vow to get the prisoners back.
These unfortunate prisoners, who were once proud servicemen, have seen
41 winters go by, till it does not matter anymore.

However, it should radically affect us and every morning there

needs to be an individual prayer for these 54 noble souls. Each day
must begin with a remembrance for them, to be followed by a recount of
the total number of years they have been held in captivity. There
must also be a mandatory daily prayer/remembrance in all Service

units, schools, colleges, national establishments, TV Channels and in
both our Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha), before
business of the day commences. All international events organised by
India must be used as a forum to openly castigate Pakistan and to

generate international pressure to get the prisoners back home. I hope
our active media is listening! As the prisoners have been in enemy
captivity for 41 years, it will be proper for all (especially our
revered politicians) to remember the old saying – ‘Those who forget

the past are condemned to repeat it.’ As there is little time left in
this world for the prisoners, let us make a final effort to get them
home!
Maj Gen RK Khanna writes-

Non of our PWs have come across any such human being like Dongar Singh.
Pakis are so merciless and cruel people that they have tortured our PWs
beyond imagination.I am a witness to one such case of my own cadet from
Marathas in Bangla desh.

Friends,

Very humane side of soldiering from both the worlds BUT it is sad our prisoners of war were treated brutally & many of 1971 war are still languishing in Pakistani jails.

In 1992 I met a gentleman called Mr kaura in Mumbai at the house of our regimental offr & my course mate Col Mir Fiazzudin who was OC Provost in the Area HQs over a lunch. Col Mir Fiazzudin requested me to help Mr kaura as his brother Capt Kaura, an artillery officer who was Forward Observation Officer (FOO) with an infantry battalion was a POW in Pakistan after 1971 War. One of the Indian petty smuggler prisoners released in eighties from Lahore jail during his interaction with journalists had stated that there were many Indian inmates both civilians & defence personnel languishing in the Pakistani jails & Capt Kaura was one of them. He had given a letter to him for posting in India which though hidden in his shirt collar was removed by the Pakistani authorities who as customary give fresh new clothes to wear to prisoners being repatriated at Wagah border. According to him our prisoners are ill treated,deprived of medical treatment, beaten, drugged & sodomized by jail staff & fellow Pakistani hard criminal prisoners. I promised to give all the help though I had no contacts. I was then posted in HQ 10 Corps as Col GS (Int).

Mr Kaura came to Delhi immediately & we met every one possible in the Ministry of External affairs, including Indian High Commission officials in Islamabad but no one could really help. We had met the then DGMI Lt Gen Khanna of my Regiment too who told us it was rather difficult to do any thing in the then prevailing circumstances.

Kaura’s never ending efforts led them to numerous visits to Pakistani jails but Pakistanis,clever as they are would transfer our prisoners to other jails during visits of Indian delegations, journalists & relatives. Also the psychological traumatic scars changed the physical & mental well being of the prisoners & many had adopted different names that their recognition becomes difficult.

Though I lost touch with Kaura’s brother, i believe Capt Kaura’s parents died waiting for their young 25 years old bachelor son taken prisoner of war in Western Sector, who if still living & not repatriated would be 65 years old wrecked PoW languishing in some Pakistani jail still hoping against hope to return home with all the efforts of ‘AMAN KI ASHA” waves. How I wish there were marvelous people like Doongar Singh across the border. I am sure there are many to help in getting released our prisoners in Pakistani jails.
Amen
NNB
Indian POWs in Pakistani jails
Our nation released your 93,000 soldiers who were taken into custody after their surrender in 1971. Couldn’t you be kind to release our remaining 54 soldiers. Was not it a jeopardize in mutual trust? Why should the defenders of the borders of their respective nations be imprisoned for no fault of them?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Indian POWs in Pakistani Jails

Surajbhan from Rajsthan still waiting for his brother who crossed unmarked border 44 years ago and arreted by Pakistani authorities. Today on 09-01-12, the four civil prisoners were released by Pakistan authorities naming Satinder Paul Singh, Sanjit Kumar, Nasim and Sama Yousuf.

Pakistan doesn’t reveal that he has the Indian POWs and other civilians in his custody for the last 40 years or so and why Indian govt. never persue Pakistan to release those unfortunate Indian brothers, is a question which needs to be answered by every Indian. If Pakistan declares, he shall have to give the reason for keeping them in illegal custody, to which Pak wants to escape so it never declares. It’s alleged that Pakistan release only lunatic and insane people which can’t reveal their identity or have lost their memory. Similarly Indian govt. doesn’t accept those Indians which are now insane and lost their memories in lack of their identity. Is our nation can not afford to bear the expenses to look after few of our Indian brothers released from Pakistan and treat them? Is it not failure of our govt? Why our intelligence is so weak that it couldn’t find out the forgotten Indian POWs in Pakistan? If we could allow thousands of Bagladeshis in 1971 into India, so what if we get back again a few hundred or less? We should accept all those who are released from Pakistan irrespective of their identity. The ethnicity shall itself reveal their identity then why to hesitate?
1971 के युद्ध के दौरान पाकिस्तानी जेल में बंद भारतीय सैनिको की दर्दनाक दास्ताँ पर गुजरात हाई कोर्ट का सराहनीय निर्णय ,,,,,,

***भारतीय युद्धबंदियों के लिए अंतरराष्ट्रीय कोर्ट जाए केंद्र सरकार ***

गुजरात हाई कोर्ट ने शुक्रवार 23-12-11 को केंद्र सरकार को निर्देश दिया कि वह पाकिस्तान द्वारा 1971 के युद्ध में बंदी बनाए गए 54 भारतीय सैनिकों की रिहाई के लिए दो माह के भीतर अंतरराष्ट्रीय अदालत में अपील करे। कार्यवाहक मुख्य न्यायाधीश जस्टिस भास्कर भट्टाचार्य और जेबी पारदीवाला की पीठ ने कहा कि भारतीय युद्धबंदियों को लेकर पाकिस्तान ने शिमला समझौते का उल्लंघन किया। पीठ ने केंद्र सरकार को यह निर्देश भी दिया कि तीन महीने के भीतर सभी 54 युद्धबंदियों के सबसे करीबी परिजन को उनका पूरा वेतन और सेवानिवृत्ति लाभ उपलब्ध कराया जाए। युद्धबंदियों के वापस लौटते ही परिजनों को यह रकम उनके हवाले करनी होगी। हाई कोर्ट ने दिवंगत लेफ्टिनेंट जनरल जगजीत सिंह अरोड़ा की 1999 में दाखिल याचिका पर ये निर्देश जारी किए। अरोड़ा ने पाक जेलों में बंद युद्धबंदियों की रिहाई के लिए केंद्र को निर्देश देने की मांग की थी। याचिका में कहा गया था कि युद्धबंदियों को ड्यूटी पर तैनात सैनिक मानते हुए उनके परिवार को उचित मुआवजा दिया जाए। हाई कोर्ट ने बार-बार नोटिस भेजने के बावजूद दस साल से भी ज्यादा समय तक उचित जवाब न देने पर जनवरी, 2010 में रक्षा मंत्रालय पर दस हजार जुर्माना भी लगाया था। शिमला समझौते के तहत भारत ने सभी पाकिस्तानी युद्धबंदियों को उनके देश भेज दिया था जबकि पाकिस्तान ने 632 भारतीय सैनिक छोड़े थे। 1999 में पता चला कि साबरकांठा के कल्याण राठौड़ और वडोदरा के एन शंकर समेत 54 युद्धबंदी अब भी पाक जेलों में बंद हैं।

Thank you the lone warrior Awais Sheikh, you are a true son born on soil of Punjab who fights the govt. for justice to helpless people irrespectivve of cast, color and nationality.

Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2011 17:16:17 +0500

Surjit Singh S/O Makhan Singh… Today (1st Dec) Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik heard the casae. Superintendent Central jail submitted repoer and para-wise comments. Notice issued to Secretary Foreign Affairs-Islamabad..Next date fixed for hearing is 20th Dec.

Surjit case-report of Jail Superintendent attached.

Strange…The act of Bureaucracy…Clear example of negligence.. My client Surjit Singh has spent 30 years in jail i.e 5 years more than the awarded sentence because of a piece of paper,the advice , which has not yet received by Superintendent jail.
.Surjit Singh asks questions..Give back my 5 years. ….Court to put responsibility. Compensation …A poor family was deprived of livelihood in the absence of an earning hand-Surjit- whose son has died in his absence…his daughter’s letter will be produced before court on 20th December,the next date of hearing..a heart touching letter…

THIS IS THE AGONEY OF PAK-INDIA RELATIONS. The same is happening across the border.
Oh God..When sanity will prevail.. An other case…Sarabjit Singh who has spent 21 years in same jail.. although FIR does not carry his name …reminds the story of Indian film VEER ZARA.
Pak delegation to meet kin of Indian prisoners
PTI | 04:09 PM,Sep 11,2011
Rajkot, Sep 11 (PTI) A four-member delegation from Pakistan, led by former Pakistan Law Minister Iqbal Haider, is scheduled to visit India to meet kin of Indian prisoners languishing in Pakistan jails.The delegation is scheduled to visit India to meet members of fishermen’s associations as well as kin of Indian prisoners in Pakistan, including spies, fishermen and prisoners of war (POWs) languishing in Pakistan jails, human rights activist M K Paul told PTI here today.A list of prisoners in India and Pakistan would be exchanged during the visit and the delegation would appeal both the governments to release the prisoners, he added.The four-member delegation also comprises former Pakistan Supreme Court Justice Naseer Aslam Jahaid, Karamat Ali and Mohmmad Ali Shah, both, members of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum.The delegation will visit Gujarat on September 17 and would be accompanied by Jatin Desai, an activist of fishermen rights from Mumbai. The delegates are expected to stay in Gujarat for nearly two days, visit coastal towns like Diu, Porbandar, and Veraval and meet fishermen and discuss their problems, Paul said.”We are going to discuss about the prisoners languishing in jails of both the countries on various charges,” Paul said.”The visit is an experiment in the larger interest of both the countries for the exchange of prisoners,” he said, adding, “These efforts are being undertaken on behalf of the victims’ families in India and Pakistan.” “We want to create a platform for the exchange of prisoners of both the countries,” the activist said.Daljit Kaur, brother of Sarabjit Singh, who is on death row in a Pakistan jail, is also expected to come and meet the delegation, Paul added.
http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/pak-delegation-to-meet-kin-of-indian-prisoners/818871.html
Darshan Singh Patwari —? In Pakistan prison since 1971 war. He was on duty and went to inspect land at Khemkaran but was abducted and arrested by Pakistani rangers and now revealed that he is lodged in Jail in Pakistan.

No efforts ever made for his quick release and for other unfortunate Indian soldiers and innocent civilians who crossed unmarked border. Shame on India and Pakistan both.
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Indian embassy denies to recognize Indian citizen despite having legal passport hence lodged in Pakistan Jail – Kot Lakhpat, Lahore. The most shocking news is received through Media Khalistan that a Sikh youth Jatinder pal singh s/o late Pritam singh is lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail since 2003.

The most shocking news is received through Media Khalistan that a Sikh youth Jatinder pal singh s/o late Pritam singh is lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail since 2003.
He sent a letter and appealed to Chief justice of India Sh. S H Kapadia. He stated that he went to Saudi Arab in 96-97 on a valid Passport no U-227080. In 2003 his father was expired and he wanted to visit India but his request was turned down. Then in fit of anger & his hurt emotions as he wanted to pay his homage to his deceased father, he tried to enter India by road through Pakistan but was arrested. He was punished but his sentence was over two years ago. When he demanded his release from jail, the Pakistan authorities replied him that the Indian govt has not made any official demand for his release though he himself informed the Indian embassy and furnished all the required documents to prove him an Indian but they refused to recognize him.

Since then he is suffering in jail on negilgence by Indian embassy and it’s corrupt officials as he is not in a position grease their palms otherwise what could be the reason to refuse him whereas he has produced his valid Passport?
In his letter he has appealed to CJI of India to request his counter part in Pakistan for his immediate release.
Who will help him and many others like him rotting in Pakistan jails?
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THE WEARER BEST KNOWS WHERE THE SHOE PINCHES.
Amritsar, Jun 28: 2011. India has released 14 Pakistani prisoners on Tuesday who were lodged in different jails of the country. They were lodged in the jails of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab. Relieved at being released, these prisoners who had completed their term behind the bars crossed over to Pakistan.

I hope Pakistan shall also release our Indian prisoners who have completed their term or gone old. http://www.dailyindia.com/show/447993.php
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Note: Our own Indian govt is also responsible for not being sincere to these war prisoners as there is not anyone the son of a Minister or high ups among these unfortunate POWS. The current report is that there are seven officers of RAW also in their custody but there families are not informed. Our govt is also negligent to look after the families of those officials who are arrested there.
Can the Indian government be prosecuted and be later pursued in a court of law? A human rights activist lawyer had told me that a prima facie case could be set out if the courts feel the government has not been sincere. The case only gets strengthened if there is evidence to back it. http://www.countercurrents.org/versey180407.htm

BAPU IN PAKISTANI JAIL SINCE 1982;

Lahore High Court – Pakistan confirms Surjit Singh in their custody
Another Indian national languished at Kot Lakhpat Prison Lahore Pakistan since 1985 and convicted for alleged ‘spying’, Surjit Singh (aka “Makhan Singh”) son of Sucha Singh from the village Fidda, Kot Krori Kalan, Firozepur Punjab.
Why the human rights organization do not pay their attention on these helpless prisoners in Pakistani jails? His son Jaswinder Singh is passed away and family is on hand to mouth. Will anyone listen their agony? English translation can be viewed at
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1640687509480&set=a.1114713840467.2016513.1605570892&type=1&theater
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SUBEDAR AASA SINGH
“An appeal to President of Pakistan”
I request the honor’ble President of Pakistan Mr. Zardari that he should also take notice of those unfortunate Indian prisoners of wars who are languished in their jails for the last 40 years or more. Does it adorn Pakistan to keep these innocent POWs behind bars for such a long time? Is Pakistan not committing a crime against the humanity by keeping them in their custody though they might have passed their precious years of lives then the punishment awarded to them? Is he also not guilty to himself if knowingly and deliberately he permits to continue their captivity without any logic? If he is a true ruler, he should issue immediate orders of their release. So what if a formal request of pardon on behalf of Pakistan is made to them? This is real humanity.
The Allah is kind enough upon you and blessed you with power to rule Pakistan but why don’t you b come a historical person to be remembered always in history as a true ruler? Such a historical leader who worked not only for Pakistan but in the interest of whole mankind. Such opportunity is blessed to one in millions, why not you? It needs only to show some courage and will power only. I know it can be proved to crack the hard nuts but of course you can. LET BYGONES BE BYGONES. I, as an Indian Sikh assure you that we Indians shall never raise any question against their captivity, no question shall be asked in this regard instead our whole nation shall be grateful and oblized to you and your nation.

You can realize the troubles of others as you have also faced the troubles in your life. Just imagine of those families who have passed their whole life in a false hope to meet their dearer ones. Could you not fulfill their last wish? You have lost your family members-your own, couldn’t you realize the pain of others who have only hope to see their nearer and dearer in their life? Who else can better feel the pain then you. You only know the pain of losing the dearer in life.

We have our last hopes on you only therefore in the name of Allah I make this humble appeal with folded hands, please be kind and in the name of Allah and humanity—release them. Allah was pleased, Pakistan was created, have mercy on helpless people Allah shall bless more but if cursed by any Godman, Allah shall destroy it. So have fear of Allah.

I wonder how could Indira and then successive govts of India drop this issue of first importance to nation of safe release of Indian POWs in Pakistani Jails ? This shameful incident is the result of sheer negligence to our soldiers who fought for us but abandoned by our govt.

Lt Gen Niazi, Commander of the Pakistani Forces in East Pakistan (Now Bangladesh) signing the surrender document for Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora on Dexember 16, 1971.
Watching the ceremony are Vice Admiral N Krishnan (FOC-in-C Eastern Naval Command), Maj Gen K V Krishna Rao (GOC, 8 Div – Behind the Vice Admiral), Air Marshal H C Dewan (AOC-in-C, Eastern Command) , Lt Gen Sagat Singh (GOC, IV Corps), Maj Gen J F R Jacob (Chief of Staff, Eastern Army Command) and Maj Gen Gandharv Nagra (GOC, 101 Communication Zone).
After the 1971 Indo-Pak War India had 3703 Pakistani Prisoners of War in the West (Punjab-Rajasthan-J & K) and 93007 in the East (Bangla Desh). In addition the Indian Army had occupied 9047 Sq Kilometers of Pak Territory in Punjab with 90 Villages Situated there. Pakistan had 2307 Indian POWs.

After the Shimla Conference of 28 Jun – 3 July 1972, whereas the Pak Territory was vacated by 7 Aug 1972, Pakistani Prisoners of War of the West repatriated on 1 Dec 1972 and of the East by 14 Nov 1974, The Indian Soldiers in West Pakistan were abandoned by the Indira Govt causing endless pain and suffering for their Families.
In April 1999, the Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Centre on a petition before it, seeking the Government to place before the Court a report about the steps taken to trace the 54 defence personnel captured by Pakistan during the 1971 war. The petition, filed by advocate K.L. Sharma, stated “Due to the negligence of the government these brave defence personnel were left unaccounted at the time of the exchange of war prisoners.” It accused the authorities of declaring them “presumed dead” without going into the roots of the case (see “Centre gets notice on POWs in Pak,” The Tribune, April 23, 1999).
Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora, the 1971 war hero, was in the process of filing a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court. He said that these POWs are neither considered dead, nor alive. If they are to be considered dead, their families should get all the benefits that accrue to families of defence personnel who die in action. If they are considered alive, their families should receive their salaries. However, these families receive only a meagre pension determined by pay-scales applicable in 1971. General Arora says that:
!) these Indian POWs are on duty and therefore their families should receive salaries and not pensions.
ii) The POWs should receive promotions when due, and retirement at the appropriate age.
iii) Their families should get pensions and other benefits according to present norms (see “Taki Apne Yudhbandi Wapas Aayen,” Vishnudutt Sharma, Dainik Jagaran, June 17, 1999).
A petition was filed in the High Court of Gujarat on the same lines and Justice S.K. Keshote, taking this case seriously and looking to the 28 year long correspondence by the families of the armed forces personnel, issued notice to the Central government. In a recent hearing, the judge gave three months’ time to the Central Government to take a stand on this matter. The petition was filed by advocate M.K. Paul, the Vice-President of the Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association.
However, every Indian government in power has only made half-hearted attempts. Morarji Desai had got his external affairs minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to talk with General Zia-ul-Haq, but Vajpayee got into technical details about international ratio.

Another person is more cautious. He says, “The only and ‘extremely remote’ possibility of anyone being alive is that a few may have escaped, been caught, and then forced to convert to Islam. This may have been done out of fear and convenience, or when they turned lunatic. This category may have been spared death. Such information will also never be revealed. These living ‘zombies’ may then be languishing in prisons, along with thousands of other Pakistani civilian under trials. You must know that close to 80% of all jailed inmates in India and Pakistan are in the ‘under-trial’ category.”
If Sarabjit Singh has already spent more than 20 years in Pakistani prison, then what about our soldiers? Were they tortured? Did they lose their sanity? Their memory? Did they die of hunger? Almost every family has been able to produce some evidence that they did not die during the course of the 13-day Bangladesh War.
SURJIT SINGH of BSF from Faridkot, Bathinda (Punjab) was first declared missing in July 71 and then dead in Sep 72 but afterwards many eye witnesses revealed his presence in Pakistan, then BSF itself raised the issue with it’s counterpart Pakistani Rangers in 2004 as reports were receives from Indian prisoners released from Pakistan that Surjit Singh was seen in Kot Lakhpat Jail. (See the Box in both the picture).
http://www.indiareport.com/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/1032181/International/2/71/2
Ansar Burney, Islamabad (28 Apr ,2011),(PTI).
Leading rights activist Ansar Burney today claimed that he had traced an Indian prisoner of war captured during the 1971 war in a jail in Pakistan. Burney said the Indian prisoner named Surjit Singh was arrested in 1971 and his family had been searching for him since then.

The Indian government would have to look at all possibilities. While the popular theory is that it is merely a political issue, other reasons can also be attributed regarding the missing people. They could be under assumed names, or could have been mistakenly kept back as deranged, or could have been captured a little before the actual outbreak of war, in which case they do not qualify as POWs but as security prisoners or spies. This means that all these categories must be checked.
While Pakistan continues to maintain that there are no Indian prisoners of war in its jails, India believes that there are at least fifty– four. These men if still surviving have little time left for niceties now. They need to be brought home in whatever state they are. Even if there were human rights violations, releasing these men would send a gesture of goodwill and peace. The two governments could in a way make amends for the violations of past regimes. What happened is past, releasing these men could be the harbinger of a new beginning.
Surely, not releasing them because of the fear of international condemnation could be turned into a celebration by admitting that mistakes were made in the past by both countries. It is most likely that these men were kept as spies and not POWs. If any are surviving they could be sent back as such. I went to the Wagah border for the candlelight vigil held on 15th august this year. The vigil is held for peace. I just wonder when the war will finish for these men. When will they return home? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/JatHistory/message/3270?var=1
Sushila Tyagi, mother of Flying Officer Sudhir Tyagi, one of the POWS: “Our story is of a stuff of which only nightmares are made of. Though free, we have virtually lived in hell all these years. But the ruling class of this country could never feel our pain.”
Major Sharanjitpal Singh Waraich’s name is number one on the list of 54 POW from the 1971 war. He was born in 1938. He was the oldest of four surviving brothers born to Gurdeep Singh and Harbans Kaur, who belonged to an erstwhile family of landlords form Gujranwala, Pakistan. His father was serving in the Punjab Police. He and Kanwarjit Singh Sandhu were good friends. They were the daredevils of the regiment, 15 Punjab, also known as Patiala regiment, the former regiment of the Maharaja of Patiala, Yadavindra Singh. They were the first to volunteer for forays into the enemy territory whenever required.
Sharanjit’s grandfather `s grandfather, at the time in Pakistan had joined the Indian army as Subedar and was part of the raising of 24 Punjab. Their family had converted in the 1700s to Sikhism. His son and grandson later served in the same battalion. His grandson, Sharanjit’s grandfather had served with the battalion in the first world war in Turkey and was taken Prisoner of war along with the entire regiment. They were there for 3 years where they worked and whatever they earned was provided to a family where the men were out fighting the war elsewhere. The family gave them food and looked after them. He learnt photography and other arts there along with reading and writing. Ironically it was the same battalion, 24 Punjab, which went to Pakistan when the Indian armies were divided along with the country in 1947, that raided Husainiwala on 3rd December 1971 and caught 15 Punjab on the Indian side unaware capturing the two officers. The same 24 Punjab that three generations of Major Waraich’s forefathers had served in that captured him!

The Punjabi daily Ajit, on Dec 2005, the newspaper had carried a front-page news that a human rights delegation comprising Canada-based Indians, which had gone to the Kot Lakhpat Jail near Lahore a couple of years ago, had found that many of the 55 missing Indian soldiers and officers of the 1971 war were still alive and incarcerated in Pakistani jails as prisoners of war (POWS). The report carried the names of 11 of these 55 including that of Assa Singh Nirmal’s husband, and also quoted sources as saying that many of them had died in various Pakistani jails and that their ashes were waiting to be disposed off.
The human rights team which found the POWS in a Pakistani jail was sent by the South Asian Human Rights Commission with Canada-based Shitaldas Kaler and Amrit Rai Singh as members. The duo had gone to Kot Lakhpat Jail in 2003 to visit Sarabjit Singh, an Indian, who had been sentenced to death in Pakistan on spying charges. While the duo was in the jail, its attention was drawn by shouts emanating from a particular barrack of the prison: “We are 1971 POWS. We have been rotting here for the past 35 years. Please get us out of this hell.”

They then found out that 11 of the POWS were lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail while some were in other Pakistani jails and many had died. Kaler says: “These Indian POWS are living in a miserable condition in Pakistani jails.
Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister, in his statement to Sainik Samachar also admitted in September 2004: ?It is estimated that 17 Army officers, two Junior Commissioned Officers and 19 other ranks (ORs) are currently in Pakistan jails. Two soldiers (ORs) of the Indian Army were declared deserters on September 1999 in the absence of any knowledge of their whereabouts by a court of inquiry. These two soldiers were taken off the deserters list when Pakistan confirmed that they were in their custody. Both these soldiers have since been released by Pakistan on ninth of last month?. This information was also given by Defence Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee in a written reply to Mr. Anand Sharma in Rajya Sabha. http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&page=30&pid=81
Pakistani government says that there are no Indian prisoners in the Pakistani jails. Here is the legal, lawful, independent, impartial, authentic, documentary evidence from Pakistan, England, America and India, which proves beyond the reasonable doubt that certainly there are Indian prisoners of 1965 and 1971 wars, who have still been painfully languishing in Pakistani jails for the last 40years.
Reliable evidences;
Out of the 54 who went missing, 22 were pilots. Many of them were reportedly seen by Chuck Yeager, the famous former US Air Force chief, after the war while he was on an assignment in Pakistan. Yeager has mentioned this in his autobiography published in 1984.

Flight Lieutenant Vijay Vasant Tambe
· In the following years, there was some more corroborative evidence of the presence of someIndian prisoners. Bhogal Ram, who spent eight years in Pakistan on charges of spying and was released in 2000, claims he met Assa in Kot Lakhpat Jail’s interrogation cell. Assa was brought for interrogation there on the charges of trying to smuggle a letter to his family out of the jail. “Assa was very weak and looked worn out due to his long imprisonment. He told me that he was a 1971 Indian POW,” says Ram. Years earlier, Kishorilal, an automobile engineer-turned-spy now based in Ludhiana who had stayed in various Pakistani jails and was released in 1974, says that during his imprisonment in Kot Lakhpat Jail he had also met Flight Lieutenant Vijay Vasant Tambe and Major A.K. Ghosh, two of the 54.
· Maj Ghosh’s Photograph in TIME magazine is proof he was a prisoner. The photograph of Ghosh behind bars had appeared in a December 27, 1971 Time cover story on the 1971 war.
· Maj Ashok Suri’s letter written from Karachi jail in 1975 is proof he was there – and he mentions 20 other officers with him there. The truth should come out.http://www.chowk.com/Views/Search-for-the-Missing-in-Action
As for Maj Suri’s letter, the letter says Karachi, not Central Jail, Karachi. SO the possibility is there he was somewhere else. Ashok Suri’s letter begins in a somewhat uncommon way- ” Ashok touches they feet to get your benediction” . Looking at his sample from 1970, he starts a the letter in 1970 in a similar way. If he was in Karachi, where was he, if not in the Central jail?
1)- Five Indian pilots were captured alive but Pakistan did not include their names in the list of PoWs at the time of exchange of prisoners as per Shimla Agreement and the Indian government had committed a blunder and forgot to secure their release. Daljit Singh, repatriated on March 4, 1988, said he had seen Flight Lt. Tambay at the Lahore interrogation centre in February 1978.
1)- A book published in 1980 from Lahore titled Bhutto?Trial and Execution written by Victoria Schofield, a senior BBC London reporter, covering the period of 1978 when Mr. Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was detained in Kot Lakhpat jail, Lahore (page No. 59) reads: ?(Bhutto?s) cell separated from a barrack area by a 10 foot high wall, did not prevent him from hearing horrific shrieks and screams at midnight from the other side of the wall. One of Bhutto?s lawyers made enquiries amongst the jail staff and ascertained that they were in fact Indian prisoners of war who had been rendered delinquent and mental during the course of the 1971 war.? ?Fifty odd lunatics were lodged in the ward next to mine. Their screams and shrieks in the dead of night are something I will not forgot,? wrote former Pakistan Prime Minister, Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, referring to Indian prisoners of war of 1965 and 1971 who were kept in a cell next to his in Kot Lakhpat prison.
2)- . The name of Major Ashok Suri was mentioned on January 6 and 7, 1972 in Punjabi Darbar programme of Lahore. His father Dr. Ramswaroop Suri of Faridabad had also received three letters from a Karachi jail on 7.12.1974, 26.12.1974 and 16.6.1975 stating that he is in Karachi jail along with 20 other officers.
3)- . Shri Mohanlal Bhaskar of Firozpur, who was in Pakistan jails between 1968 and 1974 and was repatriated on 9.12.1974, wrote a book (I was a spy of India in Pakistan) and gave a signed affidavit to me at Rajkot stating that in fort of Attock, a Pakistani Major Ayaz Ahmed Sipra of Second Punjab Regiment of Pakistan, who was imprisoned for conspiring against Bhutto, spoke to an Indian PoW Mr. Gill of the Indian Air Force and one Captain Singh of the Indian Army as mentioning that there were around 40 PoWs of the 1965 and 1971 wars who are languishing in Kot Lakhpat jail and had no chances of release in future.
4)- Mukhtayar Singh, who was repatriated from Pakistan on July 5, 1988, says Captain Giriraj Singh is still lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail. Singh also reportedly saw Captain Kamal Bakshi in Multan jail around 1983. He says Bakshi could be either in Multan jail or Bahawalpur jail. There are numerous other such eyewitness reports.
5)- Flight Lt. V.V. Tambay’s name was published in the Pakistan paper Sunday Pakistan Observer on December 5, 1971. It said five Indian pilots were captured alive but Pakistan did not include their names in the list of POWs at the time of exchange of prisoners as per Shimla Agreement and the Indian government had committed a blunder and forgot to secure their release. Daljit Singh, repatriated on March 4, 1988, said he had seen Flight Lt. Tambay at the Lahore interrogation centre in February 1978.
6)- The name of Flying Officer Sudhir Tyagi, whose plane was shot down near Peshawar on December 4, 1971 was announced over Pakistan Radio the next day. Ghulam Hussain S/o Hayat Dutt, who was repatriated from Pakistan on 24.3.1988, said that he had met Flying Officer Tyagi at Shahi Quila, Lahore in 1973.
7)- One of Bhutto’s lawyers made enquiries amongst the jail staff and ascertained that they were in fact Indian prisoners of war, who had been rendered delinquent and mental during the course of the 1971 war. ?Fifty odd lunatics were lodged in the ward next to mine. Their screams and shrieks in the dead of night are something I will not forget?, wrote former Pakistan Prime Minister, Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, referring to Indian prisoners of war of 1965 and 1971, who were kept in a cell next to his in Kot Lakhpat prison.
8)- Flt. Lt. Harvinder Singh?s name was announced on 5.12.1971 on Pakistan Radio that he had been captured alive.
9)- Capt. Ravinder Kaura?s name was announced on Lahore Radio on 7.12.1971 during the war time and Mukhtayar Singh, who was repatriated on 5.7.1988, said that Capt. Ravinder Kaura was in Multan jail around 1981 and then later shifted to Kot Lakhpat jail.

Rajesh Kaura believes his brother Ravinder is alive in Pakistan
10)- Wing Commander H.S. Gill?s plane was shot down over Badin on 13.12.1971. Pakistan Radio gave news of his captured alive the same day.
11)- Flt. Lt. Sudhir K. Goswami?s plane was shot down over Sargodha on 5.12.1971 at about 7.00 p.m. The same day at 11.30 p.m. Radio Lahore announced his capture.
12)- Maj. SPS Warraich?s name was reportedly announced on 5/6th December, 1971 as being captured alive after he and Maj. Kanvaljit Sandhu were captured on 3.12.1971 from the Hussainiwala sector. He was subsequently reportedly seen in Multan jail in January 1972. Again he was seen in 1988 by Mohinder Singh S/o Banka Singh, who was repatriated on 24.3.1988. He says he saw him again in Kot Lakhpat jail in February 1988.
13)- Time magazine of London, dated December 24, 1971, carried a photograph of Indian prisoners behind the bars. The said photograph turned out to be that of Major A.K. Ghosh, who was not returned by Pakistan Govt. with the rest of the POWs.
14)- 2nd Lt. Paras Ram Sharma’s father heard his son’s particulars being announced on Pak Radio on Jan. 2, 8 and November, 29. L/NK Ram Lal (Retd.) (No. 9071130) of erstwhile 2 JAK Militia after his return from Pakistan said that he had met 2nd Lt. Paras Ram Sharma in Lahore jail for 5 days from 20.4.1973 to 24.4.1973 while awaiting his repatriation to India.
15)- Balwan Singh, an Indian prisoner who returned home to India on 3.10.1998 after 9 years in Pakistan prisons, claims to have met Indian, PoWs of the 1971 war. He said there were seven jails in which the PoWs were rotated. He distinctly remembered one of the PoWs as Jagdish Raj who was being kept in ?Phansi ki Kothi? (Fort of Attock) with other PoWs (L/NK Jagdish Raj figures in the list of 54 PoWs)
16)- General Chuck Yeager of USA, who was on deputation with the Pakistan Air Force for training Pakistani pilots, has written a book of his role during the Indo-Pak war and has written in his book that he had interviewed about 20 Indian pilots in the Pakistani jails.
17)- Shri Rooplal Saharia had been in various Pakistani jails for 26 years from 1974 to 2000. He says that there were many Indian prisoners of war languishing in various Pakistani jails.
18)- Shri Bhogal Ram of Kashmir had been in Pakistani jails for about eight years. In the year 1999 he had come to Rajkot to meet me and brief me about what he had seen in the Pakistani jails. Shri Jagsheer Singh and Arif Mohammed, who had returned on 10.8.2004 after five years in Pakistani jails, say that there are many Indian prisoners of war who have become very weak and have been passing very critical and painful life in the Pakistani jails.
19)- Shri Devinder Singh of village Sanbaura, Tehsil-Hira Nagar, District, Kathua, Kashmir, was arrested in Pakistan on December 20, 1989 and returned to India on March 17, 2005 through Wagah Border along with 20 other Indian prisoners. He says that 100 Indian prisoners were languishing in Pakistani jail in a very painful condition. Many of them had become lunatic and insane and had been painfully waiting for their release since 1971 Indo-Pak war.

20)- Ansar Burney, Islamabad (28 Apr ,2011),(PTI).
Leading rights activist Ansar Burney today claimed that he had traced an Indian prisoner of war captured during the 1971 war in a jail in Pakistan. Burney said the Indian prisoner named Surjit Singh was arrested in 1971 and his family had been searching for him since then.
Thus we request the Pakistani authorities that as all these above stated evidences indicates the presence of these unfortunate Indian soldiers (POWs) in your custody and as it has been a long time to them in your illegal captivity, we humbly request with folded hands to kindly release them. It will be a great service to humanity and praiseworthy to provide an opportunity to the families of these soldiers who have their all the hopes only on you to connect their lost brothers, fathers and sons with their dearer ones.
Our nation released your 93,000 soldiers who were taken into custody after their surrender in 1971. Couldn’t you be kind to release our remaining 54 soldiers. Allah too hopes of good deeds from his men then why Pakistan behaves like a tyrant nation?
Once again I request you to be kind and accept my application in your court for their immediate release. Allah may be kind and bless Pakistan.

List of Indian POWs
Prisoner’s Name, rank & unit

1. Major SPS Waraich IC-12712 15 Punjab
2. Major Kanwaljit Singh Sandhu IC-14590 15 Punjab
3. Lt SM Sabharwal SS-23957 87 Lt Regiment
4. Capt Ra

This is from my friend in Singapore. very very encouraging & lets all send it on Facebook,twitter linkedin, U tube and other print and electronic media making it viral.
NNB

Absolutely fantastic.

This mail should go twice a month to Aamir Khan and at least
once a month to PM until they move and take some action.

It’s also important to gather the families of
these prisoners to stage a protest that catches
media attention. Media is very strong and once
it catches the wave then test is history.

Thank you for your strenuous efforts.

Warm regards
Amardip

On 19 Oct 2014, at 14:18, Col NN Bhatia wrote:

54 Indian prisoners of War (POWs) of 1971 War still hold up in Pakistan

Dear Mr Amir Khan,
I am a retired miltary veteran fond of your movies and initiatives to eradicate deformities in our society. But one of the greatest over 42 year old human tragedy has been overloked by the insensitive society and callous country that liberated Bangladesh. While we released nearly 96,000 Pakistani POWs who had surrendered in liberated Bangladesh, we failed to resolve issues like Kashmir, River Water Dispute, Siachin and Mal-treatment to minorities in Pakistan; what to say release of our 54 bravehearts captured by Pakistan in 1971 War. The families have learnt from odd letters and inputs given by other prisoners released from time to time and human right activits in Pakistan like Awais Sheikh (now taken asylum in Sweden), Ansar Burney, a leading Pakistani human rights and civil rights activist, Ms Jasbir Uppal, Indian origin human rights and civil rights activist and lawyer, Dr Simmi Waraich, Mr Gill, some released Indian POWs and my own reserch efforts. But efforts to get them released have been weak knee jerks, isolated and uncoordinasted by our politicians,social and human activists, jurists, foreign service, diplomats and military as the centeral goverments from time to time failed to take any initiatives. The Pakistani Government is equally insensitive with dead conscience to admit having our POWs. If that be so, how late Dr Suri from Faridabad died due to shock when he got letter from his son (Maj Ashok Suri, a POW) posted from Pakistan? No confidence building meassures (CBMs), track 2 diplomacy or normalisation of relations between two countries can be possible unless such issues are resolved and people to people transparent contacts are maintained and minor irritants like releasing of POWs/prisoners undertaken! On our part NDTV ,TIMES NOW and some other channels highlighted the issue but follow up by the Government or any NGO was NOT there. we need to raise issue internationally through UNO, International Court of Justice, Red Cross, diplomacy, media blitz and forcind aid donor counties to Pakistan of its failing human right actions.

I request that you kindly take this issue in right earnest to ignite insensitive dead conscience across the border so that our nrave sons languishing in Pakistani jails living under sub-human conditions are released at the earliest. Please imagine the pains of the wife of Flt Lt Vijay Vasant Tambay 7662 -F(P), daughter (Dr Simmi Waraich) of Maj Waraich, late father of Maj Ashok Suri and the families of the all 54 POWs in Pakistan. Let ‘SatyamevJayte’ TV initiative started by you, light the candle of conscience across the borders to remove darkness of insenstivity. Your programmes Mr Amir Khan have LONG reach to kill insenstivity, injustice and failed human rights. I will willingly give any help and support needed. I must admit one director from Bollywood contacted me for making a movie on POWs issue BUT I requested him,, their release is my prime objective and not his commercial angle solely! At my initiative, I have requested for a meeting with the PM as evident from below, but nothing has materialised so far. Let us put together our best foot forward Mr Amir Khan!

Col NN Bhatia (Retd)
Industrial Security Consultant & Human Rights Activist..
A-27 sector 30
Noida (UP-201303
India
Mob +919818044762

:
September 17, 2014
To
Sh. Narendra Modi
The Honourable Prime Minister,
Government of India,
New Delhi.
Release of 54 Indian POWs holed up in Pakistan since 1971 War

Respected Sir,
1. 40 Indian Defence personnel were declared as Missing-in-Action by the Indian Government in 1979; eight years after the 1971 war. They were described as being present in Pakistan’s jails as given in the succeeding paragraphs.
2. Apr 12, 1979 – Samarendra Kundu, Minister of State of External Affairs, in reply to unstarred question 6803 raised by Amarsingh Pathawa, informed the Lok Sabha that there were 280 Indians in Pakistani prisons, which included the names of 40 Indian Defence Personnel.
3. Later the list was expanded to 54. We, the next-of-kins got together to get our relatives repatriated from Pakistan. This effort entailed meetings with various departments /offices /ministries /NGOs /human right activists including the External Affairs, Defence, PMO and Home Ministries, various NGOs and much later, the media. This effort was spearheaded by a core team consisting of the Late Dr. R.S. Suri (father of Maj Ashok Suri, 6 Assam Regiment) Mr. G.S. Gill (brother of Wing Commander HS Gill) and Mrs. Damayanti Tambay (wife of Flight Lt Vijay Vasant Tambay), Dr Simi Waraich (daughter of Maj SPS Waraich, 15 Punjab) who have spent most of their lives to get their loved ones repatriated back to India, but alas in vain.
4. On Sept 17, 1983, a delegation of 6 Next-of-kins (NOK) of missing soldiers visited Multan Jail in Pakistan on an official trip to identify and bring home the missing soldiers. Sh. Ajit Doval now serving as your National Security Advisor was then posted in the Indian High Commission accompanied the delegation to Multan Jail. The visit was organised by the External Affairs Ministry. No contact with any of our POWs could be made as in such a conducted formal tour; victims were perhaps shifted to other jails. Also over the years the due to harsh jailed routine and malnutrition the facials must had undergone change making recognition difficult.
5. Again in June 2007 another unfruitful delegation of 13 next of kins that included Dr Simmi Waraich and Mr GS Gill visited 10 jails in a haphazardly conducted official tour but to no avail.
6. Over the years, it was found that the Government actually had some information (Red Cross correspondence, War Diary Entries), about the circumstances of the final disappearances / air-crashes of these personnel which was not shared back then with the families. The families meanwhile had spent years with little information, hope, doubts and feelings of helplessness. The government had then made some efforts in the past highlighted below:-
· On Nov 19, 1987 – Letter from Sh. Chibber, Under Secretary, Pak Desk, Ministry of External Affairs was received by Dr. RS Suri, President of the Missing Defence Personnel Relatives Association (MDPRA) stating that they had communicated a ratio for exchange of Indian prisoners with Pakistan. However, nothing is known as to what happened regarding this issue thereafter.
· In 2001 during Agra Summit Sh. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Indian PM) met Gen Musharraf (Pakistan President) who told Indian PM that they had no Indian POWs in Pakistan but would conduct a search for Indian POWs in Pakistani jails. Pakistan has been on denial mode ever since and to avoid embarrassment may not be admitting the facts. For the families of the missing personnel, it I indeed a very emotive issue – next only to stopping of terrorism.
· On June 19, 2006- Ms Sonia Gandhi replied to Mrs Damyanti Tambay after their meeting on June 7th, 2006 assuring that the UPA government would continue to raise the issue with Pakistan on every possible occasion. However, Pakistan continues to deny the presence of the POWs.
7. On 26 Dec, 1974, Dr R S Suri received a hand written note dated 07-12-1974 from his missing son Maj Ashok Suri. The letter contained a slip in which his son had written, “I am Okay here.” The covering note read, “Sahib, Valaikum Salam, I cannot meet you in person. Your son is alive and he is in Pakistan. I could only bring his slip, which I am sending you. Now going back to Pak.” Signed M. Abdul Hamid. The postmark was of New Delhi dated 31 Dec 1974.

8. Next year he received another missive dated June 14/15/16th 1975 stating “Dear Daddy,” it said, “Ashok touches thy feet to get your benediction. I am quite ok here. Please try to contact the Indian Army or Government of India about us. We are 20 officers here. Don’t worry about me. Pay my regards to everybody at home, specially to mummy, grandfather – Indian government can contact Pakistan government for our freedom.” The then defence secretary confirmed the handwriting as Ashok’s and changed the official statement from “killed in action” to “missing in action”! (See letter).

9. The strange case of Sepoy Jaspal Singh, of 15 Punjab. In early 2013 One carpenter Sukhdev Singh working in Oman had a chance meeting Sepoy Jaspal Singh (15 PUNJAB) in Masirah Island Jail in Oman, who was taken as POW in Ferozepur Sector in 1971 war. On his return Sukhdev Singh met family of the Sep Jaspal Singh and on the description of Sukhdev an expert from Chandigarh Police drew the sketch of Sepoy Jaspal Singh. The Pakistani authorities for reasons unknown had sent Sepoy Jaspal Singh to Omani jail. This case should have been followed diplomatically and discreetly as it could have led to other leads. Our Naval Attaché was also contacted and sensitive matter was reported in the media putting both Oman and Pakistan on denial mode. But once reported We have a few suggestions that could be considered, in order to deal with the Missing Defence Personnel with the urgency and efficiency they deserve.
10. We were very disappointed with the Government’s handling of the Missing-in-Action cases of our relatives, to put it mildly. We hope that no other soldier’s family lives with the ambiguity that we have for years. We request that the Committee for Missing Defence Personnel (CMMPD) set up in 2008 should be invested with powers and headed by a high powered General /bureaucrat that should follow each case to a logical conclusion. Each lead should be intensively researched. However, CMMPD hey have no teeth and are unable to do much. To make CMMPD effective and accountable following suggestions are made:-
· CMMPD should a one-point contact for next-of-kins, media and especially all governmental agencies /NGOs and bodies like War Widows Association, Pension Authorities, Records Offices and veterans/ex-servicemen associations. Anyone who needs information about Missing-in-Action Indian soldiers should be well aware of its existence. Hence, this should be advertised to the general public, and definitely be made known to all currently serving Indian Defence Personnel. It will also act like a morale booster to those in service, a small token towards their immense efforts.
The Mission of CMMPD should be to track and pursue each Missing-in-Action case to a logical conclusion. There could be three outcomes for any case after initial investigation – a person could be found to have been killed, to be alive or to be Missing-in-Action (MIA). If a person is found to be killed, forensics should step in to provide the final proof. If alive, the person’s situation must be communicated to the next-of-kin and every effort must be made to secure repatriation. The Cell should send regular updates to the families. If the person is found to be MIA, then the case has to be investigated to the best of our abilities. When possible, the incident site should be visited and studied. If a person is of neither killed nor alive status, the person should stay as an unresolved MIA case till final conclusion is drawn.

The Cell should have representative(s) from the Army, Air Force and Navy and representatives of BSF or para military forces (PMFs) deployed along the international border (IB). We should aim to have a world-class cell, efficient and well-connected with domestic and international institutions (such as the Red-Cross). Forensics should be used for confirmation where a fatality is claimed. The Cell has to ensure that we are ready to grab the first chance we get, without waiting for any pushing from the next-of-kins of MIA. In our case, for example, we lost many years as we were not communicating with Pakistan on any level due to the Punjab and Kashmir militancy problems. When we were on talking terms with them, it was upto the next-of-kin to chase our Government to discuss this issue.
We have had so many joint military exercises with the US. We should take a leaf out of their book on how they handle Missing-in-action cases (see their website http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo). They have over 500 service personnel working full-time on resolving MIA cases. Their Cell sorts MIA cases by each war fought and they do not stop looking for answers. They have a POW / MIA flag and a POW Medal of Honour. Our Cell should communicate with other advanced countries, which have an active MIA Cell, to be aware of best practices on this front.

In addition, India cooperates with USA to find their missing personnel in the East from WWII- BBC News- 24 Jun 2008, – Quote “A US team is visiting the remote state of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India to search for the remains of US pilots who crashed during WWII. US Consul-General in Calcutta Henry Jardine told the BBC the mission “was in its preliminary stages”. It is thought the remains of up to 400 Americans could still be in Arunachal Pradesh, which borders Burma and China. Many more servicemen went missing during allied operations to supply China’s Kuomintang army fighting Japan. The team which has been sent is from the US Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). According to Mr. Jardine, they were going to Arunachal Pradesh to speak to various people in the government who could help in the search. JPAC conducts investigation and recovery missions for US defence personnel around the world who went missing during America’s many wars.

· The Government should have a valid MIA category for administrative purposes. A person stays MIA because of our Government’s inability to prove otherwise, or under dire circumstances. In this case, after seven years, in the absence of any conclusive proof, families were made to sign a certificate to accept that their relatives were no more to commence disbursement of pension. This was very disturbing for all the POWs families as the Government had just declared in Parliament that our people were in Pakistan’s jails. Most of the families did not want to sign as it was felt that the Government would stop its efforts to get back our people rotting in Pakistani jails. If MIA was a recognized category, there would not be a need for signing a certificate of this sort.

11. We need to learn lessons from the shabby past handling on the release of our POWs and ensure that there are no such lapses in the future. Our establishment should be fully geared to handle such issues in future.
12. We also request that often Pakistanis state that Government of India (GOI) was holding on to their 18 POWs. Its time both governments to realize that no gains are there to make on holding on to sick, under nourished and maltreated prisoners when there are larger issues of poverty, illiteracy, insufficient medical facilities, poor governance and disasters gripping both the countries
13. An urgent meeting to discuss the above agenda and issues with you is requested. Even if one soldier of our valiant armed forces is in Pakistan, we should not rest till we are able to bring him back to the motherland and unit him with the distressed family. These men deserve nothing less and were captured while on call of duty. We have great hopes on your good governance and respect for our armed forces who are working with missionary zeal whenever there are disasters or war cries from across. Sir as our last hope let us bring our men back home.
Best Regards and we all join wishing you a very happy birthday and long life to serve mother India.

Sd/NNB………..
Enclosed:-
List of Missing Defence Personnel
Army

Name
Service No.
Unit
1
Major SPS Waraich
IC-12712
15 Punjab
2
Major Kanwaljit Singh Sandhu
IC-14590
15 Punjab
3
2/Lt Sudhir Mohan Sabharwal
SS-23957
87 Lt Regiment
4
Capt Ravinder Kaura
SS-20095
39 Med Regiment
5
Capt Giri Raj Singh
IC-23283
5 Assam
6
Capt Om Prakash Dalal
SS-22536
Grenadiers
7
Maj AK Ghosh
IC-18790
15 Rajput
8
Maj AK Suri
SS-19807
5 Assam
9
Capt Kalyan Singh Rathod
IC-28148
5 Assam
10
Major Jaskiran Singh Malik
IC-14457
8 Raj. Rifles
11
Major SC Guleri
IC-20230
9 Jat
12
Lt Vijay Kumar Azad
IC-58589
1/9 G R
13
Capt Kamal Bakshi
IC-19294
5 Sikh
14
2/ Lt Paras Ram Sharma
SS-22490
5/8 G R
15
Capt Vashisht Nathfro

16
L/Hv. Krishna Lal Sharma
13719585
1 JK Rifles
17
Subedar Assa Singh
JC-41339
5 Sikh
18
Subedar Kalidas
JC-59
8 JK LI
19
L/Nk Jagdish Raj
9208735
Mahar Regiment
20
L/Nk Hazoora Singh
682211303

21
Gunner Sujan Singh
1146819
14 Fd Regiment
22
Sepoy Daler Singh
2461830
15 Punjab
23
Gnr Pal Singh
1239603
181 Lt Regiment
24
Sepoy Jagir Singh
2459087
16 Punjab
25
Gnr Madan Mohan
1157419
94 Mountain Regiment
26
Gnr Gyan Chand

27
Gnr Shyam Singh

28
L/NkBalbir Singh

29
S B S Chauhan

Indian Air Force

Name
Service No.
Unit

1
Sq Ldr Mohinder Kumar Jain
5327-F(P)
27 Sqn
2
Flt Lt Sudhir Kumar Goswami
8956-F(P)
5 Sqn
3
Flying Officer Sudhir Tyagi
10871-F(P)
27 Sqn
4
Flt Lt Vijay Vasant Tambay
7662 -F(P)
32 Sqn
5
Flt Lt Nagaswami Shanker
9773-F(P)
32 Sqn
6
Flt Lt Ram Metharam Advani
7812-F(P)
JBCU
7
Flt Lt Manohar Purohit
10249(N)
5 Sqn
8
Flt Lt Tanmaya Singh Dandoss
8160-F(P)
26 Sqn
9
Wg Cdr Hersern Singh Gill
4657-F(P)
47 Sqn
10
Flt Lt Babul Guha
5105-F(P)

11
Flt Lt Suresh Chander Sandal
8659-F(P)
35 Sqn
12
Sqn. Ldr. Jal Manikshaw Mistry
5006-F(P)

13
Flt Lt Harvinder Singh
9441-F(P)
222 Sqn
14
Sqn Ldr Jatinder Das Kumar
4896-F(P)
3 Sqn
15
Flt Lt LM Sassoon
7419-F(P)
JBCU
16
Flt Lt Kushalpal Singh Nanda
7819-F(N)
35 Sqn
17
Flg Offr. Krishan Lakhimal Malkani
10576-F(P)
27 Sqn
18
Flt Lt Ashok Balwant Dhavale
9030-F(P)
1 Sqn
19
Flt Lt Shrikant Chanderkant Mahajan
10239-F(P)
5 Sqn
20
Flt Lt Gurdev Singh Rai
9015-F(P)
27 Sqn
21
Flt Lt Ramesh Gulabrao Kadam
8404-F(P)
TACDE
22
Flg Offr. KP Murlidharan
10575-F(P)
20 Sqn
23
Naval Pilot Lt. Cdr Ashok Roy

24
Sqn Ldr Devaprasad Chatterjee

25
Plt Offr Tejinder Singh Sethi

LETTER FROM ASHOK SURI TO HIS FATHER IN 1975

maj suri’s ltr

Subject: POWs
From: rathore182@yahoo.in
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 08:49:49 +0530
To: narindrabhatia@hotmail.com

My congrats for your contributions .