A woman gave birth to a baby girl minutes after crossing over to India through the Attari international border Thursday.
Part of a group travelling from Pakistan, the woman, Maya, went into labour shortly after reaching the Indian side, and was rushed to a private nursing home where she delivered the baby. The baby was named ‘Bharti’, derived from Bharat, by family and locals in a symbolic gesture, identifying the place of birth.
This is the couple’s eighth daughter and 10th child.
Sources said three jathas of Sindhi Hindus comprising 149 persons arrived in India via Attari land border.
During the immigration process, Maya, the wife of Khanno in the group, started experiencing labour pain. Recognising the urgency of the situation, the immigration authorities expedited her immigration formalities to ensure that she gets immediate medical attention. She was quickly taken to a nursing home in Attari, where she had a normal delivery.
The incident is reminiscent of a similar one on Dec 2, 2021, when Nimbu Bai, a Pakistani Hindu woman, wife of Balam Ram, gave birth to a baby boy at the Attari border. The child was named Border Ram, commemorating his unique birthplace.
Sources said the three jathas of Pakistani Hindus arrived in India on visas permitting visits to Haridwar, Delhi, Jodhpur and Ahmedabad. Most of the group members, who are from the Sanghar district of Pakistan’s Sindh province, are expected to travel to Jodhpur, where many of their relatives are already settled. “As often happens in the past, they will apply for permanent residency in India, citing alleged atrocities faced by Hindus in Pakistan,” the sources said.
In a heartwarming gesture, Vijay Verma, a resident of Attari, visited the nursing home along with his colleagues to celebrate the birth of Bharti to a Pakistani couple. He presented them with sweets and shared blessings from Indian well-wishers, marking the joyous occasion with a spirit of Navratri celebrations and cross-border goodwill.
