AMRITSAR: Along with the rakhis, this year, Tahira Zahur, a Pakistani woman married in India, has shared her rakhi wish her brothers across the border: to stop encouraging terrorists operating from their soil to play havoc across in India. The terror attack in Dinanagar moved her so much that she has requested them to find a permanent solution for the peaceful existence of their sisters living in India.

Tahira is married to Chaudhary Maqbool Ahmad and settled in Qadian, 40km from Dinanagar, where three terrorists struck last month.

A resident of Faisalabad in Pakistan, Tahira was married to Maqbool in 2003 and shifted to Qadian, the town where India headquarters of Ahmadiyya Muslim sect is situated. As a girl born in Pakistan and married in India, she felt it was her responsibility to do her bit for bringing both the countries closer.

On Thursday, Tahira bought rakhis for her brothers from a market in Qadian to send to her three brothers living in Faisalabad. “It is a symbolic gesture to tell my brothers in Pakistan that their sisters in India need to live in peace and it is their responsibility to stand up against the terror,” said Tahira.

She said she had read numerous tales associated with Rakshabandhan festival both in history and mythology. “If queen Karmawati of Chittorgarh can send a rakhi to Mughal emperor Humanyun seeking his help, then why can’t I send a rakhi to my brothers in Pakistan,” she asked.

The motivation behind Tahira is her husband Maqbool Ahmad. He said the festival of rakhi was not just a religious affair, but symbolized the love between brothers and sisters. “My wife’s gesture will begin a thought process in the hearts of Pakistani people,” he said, adding that he expected common Pakistanis to raise their voice against terror network operating from their soil against India that had left many women widowed.