Man dies day before reunion with sister
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Poonch, March 8
A sister who was separated from her brother during partition was to arrive here on the weekly cross LoC Poonch-Rawlakote bus service tomorrow to meet him. However, her brother died of a heart attack this morning as he could not bear the happiness of their reunion.

Hakim Bi (in her 70s), wife of Fazal Din of Kala Mullah in PoK was to arrive here tomorrow to meet her brother Hakim Din (in his 80s) who got separated from her during partition. Even as the brother is no more to welcome her, the sister will be hoping that he will be the first one to welcome her.

“After my aunty informed us from PoK that she has got the travel document to travel to India and will be coming on Monday, my father had gone restive and was making all sorts of preparation to welcome her. He had told us to keep a separate room for her so that she doesn’t face any problem staying here. He had told my mother to cook special mutton dishes for aunty. He went to every home in our neighbourhood to tell that aunty is arriving,” said Muhammad Abbas, elder son of Hakim Din.

“But as the destiny has it, dad died of heart attack this morning. Even this morning there was call of confirmation of aunty’s visit from POK at 10.00 am, 15 minutes after dad died but we didn’t aunty that her brother is no more. Tomorrow I will go to receive her from the crossing point,” he added.

Even neighbors are dumb struck with the tragedy. “Hakim sahib was so happy. After his sister told him that she will arrive here on March 9, he was making arrangements for her welcome. But today he died of a heart attack. It is quite shocking for the whole area”, said Muhammad Yaqoob, neighbour of the deceased.