After nearly two decades of wrongful incarceration, a 42-year-old Pakistani national from Karachi, Muhammad Fahad, is finally on the verge of reuniting with his family. Acquitted by an Indian court of baseless terrorism charges, Fahad is now awaiting the necessary documentation to return home.

In 2006, Fahad traveled to India on a visiting visa to see his paternal grandmother shortly after graduating. At just 24 years old, he had no idea that this visit would lead to an 18-year imprisonment.

Following the expiration of his visa, he faced multiple charges, including terrorism, which have since been dismissed.

“I have been acquitted by the Indian court, and now I am requesting the Pakistani authorities to process my documents so that I can return home,” Fahad said, his voice reflecting a mix of hope and frustration.

With grey hair and a face marked by years of hardship, he longs to be reunited with his loved ones in Karachi.

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Currently residing in a center near Bengaluru, Fahad is in contact with the Pakistani Foreign Ministry, which assists in repatriating its nationals.

Mumtaz Zehra Baloch, a spokesperson for the ministry, noted, “Pakistan’s foreign affairs department raises such cases with Indian authorities, and after official discussions, Pakistani nationals in India and Indians in Pakistan are repatriated.”