Pakistan releases Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari
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Hamid, a teacher at the Mumbai Management College, went missing in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in November 2012.
Pakistan authorities on Tuesday released Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari from Mardan Jail, sources told WION. Hamid Nehal is being brought to Lahore by road from the jail’s internment centre.
On Monday, the Pakistan foreign office had said that Ansari was an "Indian spy" who was involved in "anti-state crimes and forging documents".
"Hamid Nehal Ansari, an Indian spy who had illegally entered Pakistan and was involved in anti-state crimes and forging documents, is being released upon completion of his sentence and is being repatriated to India," the Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said.
#HamidNehalAnsari, an Indian spy who had illegally entered Pakistan and was involved in anti-state crimes and forging documents, is being released upon completion of his sentence and is being repatriated to India.
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) December 17, 2018
Ansari is due to cross into India through the Wagah border on Tuesday. Fauzia Ansari, Hamid's mother said the Pakistan High Commission will hand over Ansari to Indian authorities in the Indian embassy after which he will cross the border into India.
Hamid, a teacher at the Mumbai Management College, went missing in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in November 2012. On January 13, the high court was informed that Hamid was in the custody of the Pakistani Army and was being tried by a military court.
His mother had filed a habeas corpus petition after which Pakistan informed that Ansari was being tried by a military court.
The court had tried him for possessing a fake identity card. However, reports claimed that he crossed over to Pakistan after he met a girl online, fell in love and decided to pursue her in Pakistan. He was arrested after the girl's family complained that he was travelling illegally. He officially arrested later for after a military court tried him for espionage.
Ansari's jail term had ended on December 15th. He was kept behind bars for a month as Pakistan authorities were finishing documents related to his release.
Last Thursday, the Peshawar High Court granted the Pakistan government a month deadline to complete his repatriation process. According to sources, India issued a total of 96 note verbales to Pakistan seeking consular for Ansari.
"We would like Pakistan to take action to also end misery of other Indian nationals and fishermen whose nationality has been confirmed and who have completed their sentences, but continue to languish in Pakistan jails," India's foreign ministry spokesperson said.