Having waited 35 years, Paramjit Kaur is glad to be reuniting with her husband Kashmir Singh, who spent half his life in Pakistani jails, but is anxious about know how to break the news about his mother's death two months ago.
"Kashmir's mother Swaran Kaur died just two-and-a-half months back in December 2007. Throughout her life, she used to weep and go to the gurdwara so that God sends her son back. But that was not to be," Paramjit, who is in the border town of Attari in Amritsar district, said.
She has come here with her brother Tarlok Singh, son Shispal Singh and former AIR news director G C Bharadwaj -- who spearheaded the campaign for the death row prisoner's release from Lahore jail -- to welcome her husband back to India.
They were a bit disappointed when told the former Indian soldier will officially be repatriated on Monday.
Some media reports said he could be released any time as the documentation was complete from both sides -- governments of India and Pakistan -- leading to the confusion.
"I don't want to loose any time; that is why I am here on Indo-Pak border," Paramjit told PTI.
She is also anxious about the emotions when they finally meet, for she was just 25 and her husband was 30 when he was arrested by the Pakistani authorities on the charge of spying.
"I know the struggle I went through to bring up our three children and get them married. Kashmir is now a grandfather and I don't know who he will adjust to the sea change," she said.
Paramjit rebutted media reports speculating about a 'love marriage'.
"It was an arranged marriage. Kashmir was from Hoshiarpur and I belong to Amritsar. My brother Tarlok, who was employed with the Railways in Amritsar, mediated and the wedding was performed as per Sikh tradition in 1964."
She also expressed the family's gratitude Pakistan caretaker Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney for his intervention.
If not for Burney's efforts, 'who managed to get the order of repatriation from Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, my husband would not be able to walk free,' she said.
Bharadwaj added, "It's God's miracle that Burney was made caretaker Human Rights Minister in Pakistan. He took the initiative and procured the order. Kashmir Singh was a very good friend of mine even when he joined the Army intelligence network at Jalandhar."
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