Message to India, Pak govts is 'humanity is bigger than any religion': Hamid Nihal Ansari to WION

Hamid Nihal Ansari, who returned to India on Tuesday after six years in jails in Pakistan, told WION on Wednesday that his message to the governments of Inda and Pakistan is that: "Humanity is bigger than any religion". 

He added that "all religions teach humanity". And that the two governments should therefore both work towards freeing the innoncent prisoners languishing in each others jails. 

Hamid had crossed over into Pakistan from Afghanistan in 2012, reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online. He had in time been sentenced to three years in jail for travelling on a fake passport. 

Hamid is a software engineer from Mumbai. 

He had had a tearful reunion with his family on Tuesday at the Wagah border in Punjab. 

WION had asked him what it had felt like to see his mother after six long years. 

"That's an emotional thing," he had answered. "Cannot express it in words." 

But he did, saying that "as soon as the gates opened... I saw my parents, my brother..." 

Hamid said he broke down when he realised that "my mom is here". 

"I'll break all barriers... I want to reach you," Hamid added. 

Hamid and his mother Fauzia had earlier in the day also had an emotional meeting with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. 

"Mera Bharat mahaan, meri madam mahaan, sab madam ne hi kiya hai," Hamid's mother had told Swaraj. 

Hamid said "madam" had "hugged me like a child". 

He added that she said "Beta waapis aa gaya hai. Mubarak ho."