A cross border reunion that melted hearts on both sides of divided line

Separated by fate and united by coincidence, this real-life Indo-Pak drama has all the ingredients of a Bollywood pot-boiler!

Emotions ran high when Indian citizen Sikka Khan (78) arrived at the house of his brother Siddiq Khan (80) in Pakistan for the first time since partition.

Sikka (real name is Muhammad Habib) and Siddiq Khan were separated during the partition. Their father was killed in the violence, Siddiq and his sister moved to Pakistan, while Sikka was left in India along with his mother.

Media reported that both brothers had met at Kartarpur Corridor on Jan 10 this year with the help of a Pakistani YouTuber Nasir Dhillon and his team. 

Sikka Khan had crossed the Wagha-Attari border on Saturday where he was welcomed by Siddiq and his family, including grandchildren. He was clad holding a long club as a support to walk and wearing a peach turban. YouTuber Nasir Dhillon was also there to welcome him.

As soon as Sikka Khan stepped out of the car, almost all male residents of the village, especially the youth, started dancing to the drumbeats while flowers and currency notes were showered on him.

Sikka Khan said though the visa was granted to him two months ago, the Covid-19 restrictions did not allow him to travel. He said he could not get married as he had become an orphan as his mother had also died after the Partition. He lived with his relatives in Chak Pulewal of district Bathinda.