India-Pakistan relations have been sour for quite sometime now but every now and then, some instances of bonhomie between the two arch-rivals come to the fore that show there's a glimmer of hope.

In one such humanitarian gesture, a 32-year-old Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) national Shabir Ahmed, who had inadvertently crossed over LoC on 17 May, 2019, was repatriated at Tithwal crossing point in Tangdhar sector by SDM, Tangdhar to Chilehana in PoK, where Pakistani authorities accepted the individual and appreciated humanitarian gesture.

In May this year, Shabir was apprehended by Indian Army with support of people of Tangdhar. Once he was stabilized, PoK authorities were approached for repatriation by Indian Army.

This was not the first time Indian Army sent a Pakistani national back to his home country. Last year in June, the Indian Army had sent back an 11-year-old boy from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) after he inadvertently crossed the Line of Control and reached India.

He was sent back through Chakan Da Bagh crossing point in Poonch district on humanitarian grounds.

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Mohammed Abdullah was apprehended by the army on June 24 in Degwar area of Poonch district and handed over to the police on the same day. The police carried out necessary formalities for his repatriation and Abdullah was sent back the next day.

Official added Abdullah was released on humanitarian grounds, owing to his young age and to boost the confidence-building measures between Indian and Pakistan. He was also given new cloths and sweets, they said.

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"Indian Army stands by its ethos of being a humane force and maintains sensitivity while dealing with innocent civilians," an official said.

India-Pakistan relation deteriorated since the Balakot attacks that took place in January-February this year. Since the attack on the Indian Air Force Base in 2016 (Pathankot) January, just a few days after Indian PM visited the Pakistani counterpart, events thereafter haven't been really encouraging. There has been a complete breakdown in talks at all levels between the two nations.

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No matter how much bitter the two nations might be, such humanitarian gestures come as a welcome change.