Tuesday, April 14, 2009

When I went to Pakistani Consulate to get Visa for MaJi(AquilaRaza)

This wonderful lady had loved me as much as any mother loves her child.I loved her Dearly.She had a story to tell ,which i got only in pieces. I remember her love as i received it while i was an adult and totally aware of my surrounding and thinking.
Just for starters she was born in Ferozepur now in India.Her father was an administrator , Tehsildar or Subedar. She had good memories of her childhood growing up.Ma Ji and my dad were of about the same age he was born in a town now in Pakistan and went to Dayal Singh college Lahore.They developed genuine affection for each other as they understood each others mannerism and culture very well.She was an educated women who studied , read and prayed and wished well for her children and grand children.She always included me in her prayers.
She was planning to go to Pakistan and thought that it would be nice to get six month Visa for it .Other times when she had gone and decided to stay a few days longer it was lot of work and aggravation to do so .Being the pragmatist she was she asked me to visit Pakistani Consulate in New York and see if she could procure a longer visa from here.
I visited the consulate and found operations and procedures reminiscent of my Indian consulates world over.Just For Ma ji nationality back ground .She was born in before independence in(around 1920) Ferozepur now in India .At the time of partition or may be on marriage moved to now what is Pakistan.Moved to Libya with doctor son and daughter.Migrated to England with them and became British citizen worked in assorted jobs.Moved to united states and worked in new york.I know she worked in some garment factory as she used to get a pension from garment workers union. Then at some point she had become American Citizen.She held US assport.US passport holder did not need a Visa for three month stay in Pakistan.
I explained my dilemma to the consulate official.Explained how MaJi wanted to may be stay longer than three months allowed by regulation.In his rude tone he told me that she can renew it in Pakistan and when I explained that she was over 70 years old .He asked where she was born i Said in undivided India in Ferozepur.He said we have no provisions of such visa to be given from consulate.I was heart broken and when on my return i told her she was disappointed and did not believe their bad behavior.

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