52 refugees from Pakistan stranded, hungry in city

Ahmedabad:

Mansaram Makwana

,

38

,

originally from the Sindh province of Pakistan

, arrived in Ahmedabad with his wife and two children just four days before the lockdown.

Makwana, who is here on a pilgrimage visa, has applied for a long-term visa, seeking refuge in India. Because of the nationwide lockdown, Makwana neither has money nor any means to make some and is struggling for food. “When we got here, we were under quarantine and were getting meals twice a day,” said Makwana. “However, since the third phase of the lockdown, we have been receiving only one meal a day.”

The plight of about 52 Hindu refugees from Pakistan who had arrived in the city just before the lockdown is no different. “I was expecting to start off with tailoring work to make a living. But due to the lockdown, I couldn’t,” said Makwana, who claims to have moved out of Pakistan to escape forced religious conversion to Islam.

Ahmedabad district collector K K Nirala said, “There could have been problems in providing food because of the lockdown in AMC areas. We will ensure they get additional food.” Nirala went on to say: “We will give them foodgrains under the Anna Brahma scheme.”