Her homecoming remained incomplete as she is yet to find the family that lost her 13 years ago when she wandered across the India-Pakistan border.

Marking a welcome change in the language of India-Pakistan ties, marigold garlands, floral bouquets and hugs were exchanged as Geeta, the differently abled woman from Pakistan, finally returned to India.

She arrived here at 10.20 a.m. on Monday on a Pakistan Airways flight, accompanied by Bilquis Edhi and several other members of the Edhi Foundation.

As Geeta walked into the ceremonial lounge of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, she was welcomed by Manzoor Ali Memon, press attaché of the Pakistan High Commission and several other members of the High Commission.

However, her homecoming remained incomplete as she is yet to find the family that lost her 13 years ago when she wandered across the India-Pakistan border. One family, the Mahtos from Bihar who had claimed her, failed to turn up at the airport and were instead represented by five persons who claimed to be her relatives. Adding to the drama of the moment, Momin Malik, an advocate from Haryana who had been campaigning for the return of Geeta on his own terms, wanted to meet her. But none was allowed, as the Pakistani officials and Indian hosts whisked her away to the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan for a meeting with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

The media rush around the arrival of Geeta took the focus away from the India-Africa Forum Summit which began as guests started pouring into the ceremonial lounge where the media waited for a glimpse of the woman.

During her meeting with Ms. Swaraj, the Mahtos of Bihar were ushered in, but Geeta, in a dramatic anti-climax, conveyed in sign language that they were not her parents. Following this, Ms. Swaraj decided that special organisations look after her.

Ms. Swaraj later told the media that once the DNA test was over the procedure to identify Geeta’s relatives would be known.

She thanked the Edhi Foundation of Karachi that had looked after Geeta since she wandered into Pakistan 13 years ago.

“I am grateful to Bilquis Edhi because she took care of Geeta and brought her up according to the Indian tradition. I hope Geeta can be trained and educated in India so that she can lead an independent life of a professional,” Mrs. Swaraj said, suggesting that the quest for finding Geeta’s family in India would continue. The media blitz was interrupted by the massive earthquake in Afghanistan, which jolted Delhi, bringing news of casualties from Pakistan, which prompted the Pakistan High Commission to cancel the ceremony to welcome Geeta and the Edhi Foundation members planned for the evening.

Ms. Swaraj said the return of Geeta would inspire India and Pakistan to look into the similar humanitarian cases in their respective prisons. “I am told there are Indian prisoners in Pakistan and a number of Pakistani prisoners in India who are psychologically disturbed. I hope that next, we can take up their cases and help them as special humanitarian cases.”