Indian envoy meets stranded Indian woman in Pakistan

The Indian envoy in Pakistan on Tuesday met a hearing and speech-impaired Indian woman who has been stranded in the neighbouring country for the past 15 years.

Leading Pakistani human rights activist Ansar Burney thanked Indian High Commissioner T.C.A. Raghavan for the meeting.

Burney tweeted: "Dear Dr TCA Raghavan thanks for coming to Karachi and to meet Geeta alias Guddy @SushmaSwaraj @MEAIndia."

In the morning, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted: "Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Dr. TCA Raghavan is reaching Karachi and will meet Geeta today."

On Monday, the minister said she asked Raghavan to pursue the case of Geeta, who in 2003 -- then 11 years old -- was spotted by the Pakistan Rangers in Lahore after she strayed across the border.

In a post on Twitter on Monday, Sushma Swaraj said: "I have asked Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr TCA Raghavan to go to Karachi with Mrs Raghavan and meet this girl."

The girl was handed over to the Edhi Foundation, a social welfare organisation in Pakistan.

Burney also called upon Bollywood star Salman Khan to help in locating the woman's parents in India and replicate his "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" role in real life.

"We must not leave any stone unturned to make Geeta realise there are sympathisers in India too, who are making efforts to help her reach home," he said.

The director of "Bajrangi Bhaijaan", Kabir Khan, in an mail to Burney said he would try to help in whatever way he can.

Burney had travelled to India in October 2012 with photographs of the woman but was unable to make progress. Bilquis Edhi, who runs the Edhi Foundation, has named her Geeta.

In a tweet, Burney on Monday said "Geeta alias Guddy may be from Jharkhand or Telangana in India. Geeta remember no 193 and says she has seven brothers & four sisters."