An Indian woman, 92, has arrived in Lahore to visit her ancestral home in Rawalpindi for the first time in 75 years.
"My dream came true," Reena, who had fled to Indian state of Pune before partition in August 1947, said during a stop in Lahore, adding that her sister had died without ever being able to fulfil her wish to return to the home in Rawalpindi.
"When I crossed the Pakistan-India Border and saw the signs for Pakistan and India, I got sentimental. Now, I cannot predict how I will react when I reach Rawalpindi and see my ancestral home in the street," she further said.
She has been trying since 1965 to visit Pakistan. However, she succeeded this year when the Pakistan India Heritage Club and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar helped with the process.
"India and Pakistan are two separate countries, but we can bring peace between them through love and people-to-people contact," India Pakistan Heritage Club Director Imran William, who is hosting Reena Varma, said.
The India Pakistan Heritage Club works to highlight the shared heritage of citizens on both sides of the border and reunite family members separated by partition.
"My dream came true," Reena, who had fled to Indian state of Pune before partition in August 1947, said during a stop in Lahore, adding that her sister had died without ever being able to fulfil her wish to return to the home in Rawalpindi.
"When I crossed the Pakistan-India Border and saw the signs for Pakistan and India, I got sentimental. Now, I cannot predict how I will react when I reach Rawalpindi and see my ancestral home in the street," she further said.
She has been trying since 1965 to visit Pakistan. However, she succeeded this year when the Pakistan India Heritage Club and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar helped with the process.
"India and Pakistan are two separate countries, but we can bring peace between them through love and people-to-people contact," India Pakistan Heritage Club Director Imran William, who is hosting Reena Varma, said.
The India Pakistan Heritage Club works to highlight the shared heritage of citizens on both sides of the border and reunite family members separated by partition.