The Hindu : National : Desire to see birthplace made his date with bus

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Saturday, Apr 09, 2005

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National

Desire to see birthplace made his date with bus

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, APRIL 8. It was his determination to see his birthplace that drove 70-year-old Syed Sharief Hussain to board the historic bus from Muzaffarabad. Even after watching the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) here go up in flames on Wednesday. For Mr. Hussain, a former Lahore Court Judge, it was a dream-come-true-trip.

Soon after the official reception ended at Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre here, Mr. Hussain said: "The first thing I will do is to offer Fajar namaaz (morning prayers) at the Hazratbal shrine and then visit Jamia Masjid to offer Friday prayers." When many giggled to tell him that it was too early in the day to visit the Hazratbal, he shot back: "What for I have then come?" Mr Hussain insisted upon going to his home village Kreeri in Baramulla district as soon as possible and also wanted to see the school in Sopore in where studied up to 9th standard.

"At Kreeri I want to pay obeisance at the local shrine and meet my classmates many of whom, I was told, are alive," he told The Hindu.

Many of Mr. Hussain's relatives are settled here. Some had travelled from his home village to see him. There were tears of joy he met his sister, Hajra Begum, his only nearest relative here. She was joined by her daughters, son and kin of his other sister, Sara Begum.

Mr. Hussain crossed over to the other side of the LoC in 1950 and never returned as his father, brother and sister joined him there. He pursued law degree in Lahore and was a close associate of the former Pakistan Premier, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and also a member of the Punjab Assembly. He later rose to the post of a judge in Lahore High Court and retired a few years ago.

A big step

Though he refused to talk politics he asserted that the opening of the road was a big step in normalising the situation. "I do not see it as an end but it will certainly help the divided families to meet," he said. "This way, you are pushing the tragedies in the backdrop and that will help."

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