Hearing, speech-impaired boy repatriated to Pakistan (Lead)

Chandigarh Jan 1 (IANS) A hearing and speech impaired 12-year-old boy from Pakistan arrested for accidentally straying into the Indian territory in May last year was on Monday handed over to Pakistani authorities officials said.

"The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday allowed the repatriation of Hasnain. Accordingly he was handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Attari border " Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Prashar told IANS.

The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel detained the boy when he inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side in the Ferozepur sector of Punjab on May 1 2017.

Prashar said the boy had been lodged in the observation home since May last year.

His identity was revealed from a Pakistani Rs 20 denomination note recovered from his pocket.

The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had confirmed that his father Javed Iqbal was a resident of Lahore in Pakistan.

His case came to light on December 2 when a tweet by a Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar highlighted his plight.

--IANS
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