Pakistan man with Indian family in Mumbai wants citizenship

The family says the former chef who worked in Kuwait all his life is too frail now and can't live with his ageing siblings in Pakistan

Pakistan man with Indian family in Mumbai wants citizenship

Mohammad Sultan Rind with his family in Malwani. Pic/ Nimesh Dave

The Indian children of Pakistani, Mohammad Sultan Rind, 75, who is currently in Malwani on a 45-day visa, have demanded that their father be given Indian citizenship to spend his twilight years with them. Rind, whose permanent residence is his ancestral home in Sindh's Naushahro Feroze district, Pakistan, is the father of Ayaz Sultan, one of the three Mumbai men who allegedly went to Syria to join the ISIS in 2015.

Rinds's daughter Shaina said, "He spent his life in Kuwait. Now he lives in Pakistan with his siblings and their families. We want him to stay with us."

"My father should be given Indian citizenship on humanitarian ground," she added.

Rind's eldest son, Irfan, said, "It looks very bad that we can't help our ailing and ageing father as he is Pakistani and we are Indian."

Rind, 75, was a chef in Kuwait for 45 years. There he met an Indian, Zubeda, and came to Mumbai with her in 1979 to live in Santacruz. He married Zubeda's daughter Razia on September 10, 1979, and returned to Kuwait for work. He would often visit his wife and mother-in-law in Mumbai.

After Zubeda's death, Razia moved to Goregaon with her four children Mohammad Ifran, Ayaz Sultan, Samira and Shaina. Three years ago, Rind left his job due to old age and returned to Sindh. His previous visit to Mumbai was in 2016 after news of Ayaz's indoctrination and joining ISIS broke.

Mohammad Sultan Rind lives with his siblings and their families in Sindh, Pakistan. Pic/ Nimesh Dave

"This time, he came via road after getting his documents cleared at Wagah Border. He arrived in Mumbai on December 11, 2019. Both he and his siblings are getting old. Our extended family is too busy to take care of him," said Rind's wife, Razia.

Irfan has been mulling writing to the Government of India regarding the matter. He has been under the police scanner since Ayaz left.

"My passport expired and I applied for its renewal. But during police verification, I was taunted by Goregaon police if I would also flee Syria to join Ayaz. I did not clear the verification on the grounds that my brother is suspected of having joined the ISIS. I wanted to go to a foreign country to earn, but I don't have a passport," Irfan said. After Ayaz left, the family moved to Malwani.

Speaking for the first time about Ayaz leaving, Razia said that he was a tech-savvy call centre professional and would chat with people on the internet. "He was the victim of failed love as his girlfriend ditched him. He also tried to end his life. My son might have been brainwashed by someone on the internet. He has never contacted us since leaving," she said.

2016
Year of Mohammad Sultan's previous visit to Mumbai

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