221 people stranded in Pakistan amid COVID lockdown return to India

Almost after eight months, 221 people who were stranded in Pakistan due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown returned to India on Monday.

"Out of the total passengers, 135 are NORI (No Obligation to Return to India) visa holders, 11 are Pakistan nationals and 75 Indians. These people were stranded due to the lockdown," an officer at the Attari border told ANI.

He added that a medical team from a local hospital would conduct COVID-19 test of all the people arriving here.A returnee, who had gone to Pakistan to attend the last rights of her mother, said that she was unable to return home because of the lockdown.

"I had gone to Pakistan because my mother had passed away, but due to the lockdown, we could not return home. With great difficulty, after eight months, I have come back home," Heena said.

Another returnee, who had gone to visit his wife and child in Pakistan, was elated when asked how he felt to finally coming back to India after eight months.

"It feels good to finally come back home," he said.The Indian High Commission in Pakistan last week announced that it will be facilitating the return of 221 people, including 75 stranded Indian nationals, to India on November 23.

In a Twitter post, the High Commission of India in Pakistan said that a total of 135 NORI (No Objection to Return to India) visa holders, 75 Indian nationals and 11 spouses of NORI visa holders will be repatriated to India.