Pakistan born toddler reaches Indian dad on visa

NAGPUR: Kailash Udasi of Jalgaon held his 10-month-old son Riyansh for the first time after the toddler crossed over to the Indian side from Wagah border along with his mother.
Born in Pakistan, Riyansh has come to India on visit visa. Riyansh’s case was reported from time to time by TOI since last year.
The child and his mother Sonya, who were stranded in Pakistan since February last year, crossed over to the Indian side on Friday along with the latest batch of stranded persons getting repatriated.
Kailash and his wife Sonya had gone to Pakistan in February 2020 to attend a marriage, but the family was stranded there after borders were shut due to Covid. His wife was two months pregnant at that time. With his mother stuck up in Pakistan, Riyansh was born there.
Kailash is an Indian citizen and Sonya a Pakistani, who had gone to the neighbouring country on a no-objection return to India (NORI) visa. When the repatriation began, Indian citizens were allowed first.
Then began a long struggle for the mother and child to come back, which included getting right documents. Born in Pakistan, now Riyansh is a Pakistani citizen, reaching his father on a visa.
“They have finally returned. Initially they were stopped at the Pakistani side as the authorities asked for a Covid negative report. My wife was the first to cross over, but was asked to wait as she did not have the report. Later when they found that even others did not have any report as there was no prior intimation, she was allowed to cross to the Indian side, where only a rapid antigen test (RAT) was done before entry,” said a relieved Kailash.