Deaf-mute Indian woman Geeta set to return home from Pak

Karachi: Geeta, the deaf-mute Indian woman living in Pakistan after accidentally crossing the border over a decade ago, will return home on Monday with both governments completing all formalities.

Geeta was reportedly just 7 or 8 years old when she was found sitting alone on the Samjhauta Express by the Pakistan Rangers 15 years ago at the Lahore railway station.

23-year-old Geeta was adopted by the Edhi Foundation's Bilquees Edhi and lives with her in Karachi.

Fahad Edhi of the Edhi Foundation told PTI that Geeta would leave by a PIA flight tomorrow morning at 8 AM (8:30 IST) for New Delhi.

"She will be accompanied by me, my father Faisal Edhi, my mother and my grandmother Bilqees Edhi," Fahad said.

He said they had got assurances that they would remain in New Delhi until Indian authorities completed DNA tests to confirm the parentage of Geeta.

"We are going with her because she recognised the family in the photograph sent to us by the Indian High Commission as her family. But the DNA tests will confirm this," Fahad said.

He said Indian authorities had assured them that if the DNA tests came negative Geeta would be placed in safe custody.

"She has been with us for so many years, she is like a family member and we would like her to stay with us. But obviously she wants to be in her country and with her real family," he said.

He said the Pakistan and Indian governments have completed all formalities for Geeta's journey back home.

Edhi Foundation's Anwar Kazmi that the five people including Faisal Edhi were given visas but only four are going with Geeta. All of them have been declared as state guests.

Geeta has identified her father, step-mother and siblings from a photograph sent to her by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The family reportedly lives in Bihar.

Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, T C A Raghavan, and his wife had visited Geeta in August after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj directed him to meet her and try to locate her family.