Imran Yaqub Dhillon
New York
A Pakistani Christian family pleads for repatriation of dead body from United States as they are denied visa to visit America to attend funerals of Fransis Peter who went there 40 years back but could not return or manage to get visa for his wife and two daughters.
In a video message ,Zarin Danish and her daughter Sonila Iram explained their ordeal and appealed to government of Pakistan to officially help in taking back dead body of Francis who died in Houston hospital on April 17,2020 after heart attack on march 23, he was shifted on ventilator after complexities arose. According to Sonila ,hospital staff remained in contact and took medical decisions on our advice ,they also managed skype call and she saw her father first time, who wanted to say a lot of things but could not speak his mind .
Her mother told that bodydead is in mortuary and we have been told that the corpse will be cremated which is against our Christian beliefs. Francis’s elder daughter Rebica Iram applied for US visa twice but was denied due to covid19 or other unknown reasons.
They told Overseas Pakistanis Foundation officials were approached but they could not find the way either. Houston Pakistan consulate official Irfan was also in contact with the bereaved family but nothing is done so far and dead body is lying in the morgue.
Sonila in her video ,told that their father tried for our visas in 2006 but US embassy officer did not approve the application at that time too.
Former federal minister and activist david salik knowns J Salik expressed sorrow and anger and vowed to raise voice for repatriation of the dead body .He demanded to government of Pakistan to intervene and help in getting visas for the family or repatriate the dead body at its own expense. He lamented government boasts of its steps for overseas but actual situation is as grim as it was in previous governments. Overseas ministry have billions of funds but they are unable to help a family to take dead body to Pakistan, said J Salik in gloomy note.
