Separated and reunited by a fate of two nations

The story of two friends who were united after 47 years comes with every ingredient for a bollywood potboiler.

A former judge of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and his Indian advocate friend shared a stage together in Poonch after 47 years without recognising each other. But they were reunited minutes later creating emotional scenes.

Former Chief Justice of PoK Supreme Court Syed Manzoor Geelani and senior advocate Dwarka Nath Bakshi were part of a reception hosted by Poonch Bar Association to honour the guest from the other side of the border recently. Both were sitting together, exchanging pleasantries as strangers without realising that they had been the best of buddies in Aligarh Muslim University from 1968 to 70.

As luck had it, Bakshi told Geelani in passing that one of his classmates lived in the PoK . Geelani, curious, asked for the name, and then introduced him to Bakshi. Emotions ran high and tears ran when they came to know that they were the same guys who were separated 47 years ago.

"The bar had hosted a reception for Geelani and I was also asked to join. I went to the room and sat with him. I told him I had a friend whose name is Manzoor Geelani, who lives in PoK. He stood up and said he was Manzoor. I could not believe my eyes. It was an emotional scene and we hugged each other and talked for long. It was as if my prayers were heard", said Bakshi.

In fact Geelani had come to Kashmir in a Cross-LoC Karwan-e-Aman bus to attend a wedding. He had heard about beauty of the Mughal Road but had not travelled on it, so he decided to do it and visit his friends in Rajouri. On arrival in Poonch, the Bar Association decided to hold a reception in his honour. The function turned out to be an emotional melange of two old friends separated by fate.

Hailing from Karna in Kupwara district, Geelani's parents had migrated to PoK in 1947 but he stayed with his maternal grandparents in the valley. After graduating from Baramulla Degree College, Geelani went to Aligarh Muslim University to pursue law. After his return in 1970, he practised as a lawyer in Baramulla before migrating to PoK in 1977, where he rose to the rank of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

"It was really surprising when I met my old class fellow after 47 years. We were together in Aligarh for two years .During reception at Poonch, he sat beside me and said his classmate had gone to Pakistan. I asked for the address but he said that he did not have it. Then he said they studied together in Aligarh. I further probed and finally he said `are you the person I am looking for'. I said yes", said Geelani.

The audience gave a standing ovation to the duo.

In fact, Geelani also met his Kashmiri doctor friend in Baramulla after 1968. "Doctor sahab was my classmate in Baramulla but we had not met since 1968,"saida BSF spokesperson?.