‘Panchi, Nadiya, Pawan Ke Jhonke, Koi Sarhad Na Inhe Roke’: Meet ‘Border’ who was born at Indo-Pak crossing in Attari

 Heard of this famous Bollywood song …Panchi, Nadiya, Pawan ke Jhonke, Koi Sarhad Na Inhe Roke…..!

This song from Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachan starrer 2000 hit movie ‘Refugee’ came alive on the Attari border when a Pakistani couple gave birth to a baby boy and named him ‘Border’.

Nimbu Bai and Balam Ram, who belong to the Rajanpur district of Punjab province, said that the baby had been named so because he was born at the Indo-Pak border. They have been stranded at the Attari border for the last 71 days along with 97 other Pakistani citizens.

Nimbu Bai was pregnant and went into labour on December 2. Some women from the neighbouring Punjab villages arrived to help Nimbu Bai deliver the child. The locals also arranged medical facilities for the delivery besides rendering other help.

Balam Ram informed that he along with 98 other citizens, who came to India on a pilgrimage besides meeting their relatives before the lockdown, could not return home as they lacked the requisite documents.

The people include 47 children out of which six were born in India and they are below the age of one.

Apart from Balam Ram, another Pakistani citizen, Lagya Ram, who was also living in the same tent, named his son ‘Bharat’ as he was born in Jodhpur in 2020. Lagya came to meet his brother in Jodhpur but could not cross over to Pakistan.

Mohan and Sundar Das are also among the other stranded Pakistanis who have requested the authorities to accept them.

They belong to various districts in Pakistan, including Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur. They are currently living in a tent at the Attari border as Pakistani rangers have refused to accept them.

These families have been camping in a parking lot near the Attari international check-post. The locals have been providing them with three meals a day, medicines, and clothes.