Health minister takes notice of two Pakistani children denied treatment in India

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Health, Syed Mustafa Kamal, on Wednesday took notice of the case involving two Pakistani children who were forced to return from India without receiving life-saving medical treatment, ARY News reported.

Tensions between Pakistan and India have escalated following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists. In the wake of the incident, India has canceled visas and directed Pakistani citizens to leave the country.

Among those affected are two minor siblings from Hyderabad, Sindh, 9-year-old Abdullah and his 7-year-old sister Minsa, both suffering from a congenital heart condition.

The children had traveled to New Delhi with their father, Shahid Ali, for critical heart procedures, and were admitted to a hospital in New Delhi.

However, they were denied treatment and expelled from the country following the cancellation of their visas.

Taking notice of the situation, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has instructed the Director General of Health to provide immediate support to the family. The minister assured that the government will facilitate the children’s treatment in the Pakistan.

Minister Kamal further also confirmed that the Prime Minister’s Office has also contacted to offer support in this regard.

He added that the children may potentially undergo surgery at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and the National Institute of Heart Diseases (AFIC-NIHD) in Rawalpindi.

Officials from the Ministry of Health have begun reaching out to various hospitals in the country to explore treatment options.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Atta Tarar has revealed credible intelligence suggesting that India may initiate military action against Pakistan within the next 24 to 36 hours, using baseless and fabricated allegations related to the Pahalgam incident as a pretext.