Shaheer Ahmed
In the middle of the country’s political and economic turmoil, a long-awaited sibling reunion occurred, cheering civilians on both sides of the border. A brother and sister who were separated during the Partition 75 years ago were reunited in Pakistan at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur, in an emotional reunion made possible by modern media.
According to Hindustan Times, Mahinder Kaur, 81, and her family journeyed from India to the Gurdwara via the Kartarpur Corridor on Monday, while her 78-year-old brother Sheikh Abdullah Aziz and his family arrived from Kashmir.
The 4 km-long Kartarpur Corridor allows Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit the Darbar Sahib without a visa. Bhajan Singh’s family, who lived in Indian Punjab, was divided during partition. Aziz Azad migrated to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the split, while his family and other members stayed in Punjab.
According to the publication, Aziz claimed to have made numerous arduous efforts to reconnect with his family, but all of his efforts were futile. Until the two families realised that Mahinder and Aziz were truly estranged siblings after connecting via a social media post about a man and his sister being separated during the Partition.
Overjoyed, Mahinder hugged and kissed her brother’s hands repeatedly, and the two families later attended Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur together, sitting side by side and sharing a meal. As a symbol of their reconciliation, they also exchanged gifts.
Mahinder conveyed her appreciation to the governments of India and Pakistan, recognising the Kartarpur Corridor’s role in bringing people together. She hoped that this passageway would continue to bring families together who had been separated during the split. Both siblings pledged to meet again in Pakistan through the passageway as they said their goodbyes in the evening.
