Poonch: A Pakistani citizen who got married to an Indian from here got Indian citizenship from the government of India on December 21, thirty-six years after their marriage took place in 1983.
The woman who got Indian citizenship is named Khatija Parween. She was born in Attock in Pakistan's Punjab province in 1964 and got married to a native of Poonch, Mohammad Taj in 1983.
She is the first foreigner residing in Jammu province and Poonch district to get citizenship.
"I would like to thank the Ministry of Home Affairs and the other government authorities for granting citizenship to my wife today after 20 years of applying for the same. I would say that it is better late than never. I had applied for citizenship for my wife in the year 2000. I had got married in 1983," Mohammad Taj said.
"My brother has said that how helpful the authorities were in this matter but my special thanks are reserved for former District Commissioner of Poonch Wajahat Habibullah.
He was the DC of Poonch in 1975. When my brother got married in the year 1983, I went for help from Habibullah Sahab as my brother's wife had to get a permit for entering the valley. The other authorities were also very helpful in this matter," Mohammad Iqbal, Mohammad Taj's brother said.
Khatija Parween also expressed her gratitude to the government authorities after getting Indian citizenship.
