70 Years of Longing: Former Pakistani Deputy Mayor's Desperate Search for Mother and Sister Separated by Partition

 Mudassar Iftikhar Awan, a former deputy mayor of Muzaffarabad, spoke to TOI over the phone, sharing his heartbreaking story. His mother, Aatam Kaur, was from Pattika Sikhan village in PoK and had a love marriage with his father against their families' wishes during the Partition.

However, after the Liaquat-Nehru Pact was signed in 1950, his mother was forcefully taken by authorities to Jammu and later to Dehradun with other refugees from Muzaffarabad in 1956. Mudassar and his brother were raised by their paternal grandmother, and while in college, Mudassar learned that their mother had converted back to Sikhism and gave birth to their sister, Joginder Kaur, in Dehradun.

Since then, Mudassar has been longing to see his mother and sister and has made numerous efforts to find them, including petitioning the governments on both sides of the border, but all efforts have been in vain. Mudassar's story recently caught the attention of a Pakistan-based social media influencer, Nasir Dhillon, who shared his story on Twitter and Facebook.

Amarjeet Singh, a Congress leader from Dehradun, and the state president of United Sikh Federation, also shared the information in Sikh groups in Dehradun and Punjab in hopes of finding Mudassar's mother and sister. Singh expressed that their efforts to reunite Mudassar with his family are motivated by the desire to restore faith in humanity and heal old wounds.

The plight of Mudassar Iftikhar Awan highlights the enduring pain and longing experienced by families torn apart during the Partition. Despite the passage of over 70 years, the emotional scars remain, and the yearning to be reunited with loved ones only grows stronger with time.

Mudassar's last wish to see his mother and sister is a powerful reminder of the countless untold stories of separation and loss that still exist between India and Pakistan. The story also resonates with the human spirit's ability to connect and rally support across borders and religions.

Nasir Dhillon's involvement and Amarjeet Singh's efforts showcase the power of social media and community to bring attention to individual stories and mobilize resources for a greater cause. It is hoped that Mudassar Iftikhar Awan's story will reach a wider audience and prompt action from relevant authorities in both India and Pakistan.

The reunification of Mudassar with his long-lost family would not only fulfill a dying man's last wish but also serve as a reminder of the importance of compassion, understanding, and reconciliation in overcoming the legacy of the Partition.