Dubai: Indian authorities must be commended for the release of Gajanand Sharma, an Indian national, after 36 years of captivity in a Pakistani prison, a senior Indian official said.
General Dr Vijay Kumar Singh l, Minister of state for External Affairs, commended authorities in New Delhi for negotiating Sharma's release.
Indian National Gajanand Sharma, who was imprisoned at Central Jail Lahore for past 36 yrs, released by Pakistan today. Sehdev Sharma, who came to receive Gajanand Sharma at Attari-Wagah border, says "this is a gift for our entire nation from the central govt on Independence Day" pic.twitter.com/JFVEzs6E7F
— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2018
Dr Singh was in Dubai on Monday where he greeted the Indian diaspora ahead of India's Independence Day celebrations at the Indian Consulate here.
The government of Pakistan released Sharma as a goodwill gesture on the eve of Pakistan's Independence Day, August 14.
Dr Singh said: "It is indeed a very important day for the Sharma family and I spoke to his wife today. We made considerable efforts to trace Mr Sharma whose whereabouts were not known for over three decades. Sharma has been reunited with his family."
Unknown location for 36 years
After Sharma had gone missing from Jaipur 36 years ago, his family searched for him near and far.
And for more than three decades, no one knew where Jaipur resident Sharma was at or if he was even alive.
Then earlier this year, their exasperation turned to hope as Sharma was traced to Lahore's Central Jail.
On Monday, Sharma finally crossed the Indo-Pak border at Wagah.
Pakistan government released 29 Indian prisoners, including 26 fishermen at #Punjab's Attari-Wagah Border today, as a humanitarian gesture. pic.twitter.com/33qOTl4zlV
— ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2018
Earlier this year, the news that he is alive came like a lightning bolt to Sharma's family.
Indian media reported that the family came to know about him when some documents to verify his citizenship were received by the office of Superintendent of Police (Rural), Jaipur from Pakistan.
When the police reached out to Sharma's family members, they were left in a state of shock after hearing that he was lodged in Lahore Central Jail.
Sharma's younger son, Mukesh Sharma, identified his father from the photos shared with him. Sharma's wife Makhni Devi's only wish was to get a glimpse of her husband.
Her wish finally came true on Monday — just days before India's Independence Day celebrations.
Dr Singh is well known for his work extricating stranded Indians in Yemen and bringing back the bodies of Indians murdered in Iraq.
