Maroof has made it his mission since 2018 to help those trafficked to Pakistan return to their countries. He has assisted nearly 100 individuals, inspired by his mother’s encouragement to help reunite a Bangladeshi woman with his family
Indian border officials with Banu and her daughter; (center) Banu on a video call with her nephew, with her daughter standing behind; (right) Banu with her sister Shahida
In a story reminiscent of the film ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’, where actor Salman Khan’s character reunites a lost girl with her family across borders, Pakistani imam and YouTuber Waliullah Maroof undertook a similar mission. Maroof successfully reunited Hamida Banu—an Indian woman trafficked to Pakistan 24 years ago—with her family in India.
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Maroof, 29, the imam of a mosque in Karachi’s Manghopir, discovered Hamida’s story through social media. Driven to help, he began a quest to trace her family. His efforts gained momentum when a report in mid-day brought the case to the attention of the Indian government. On Monday afternoon, her long-lost children and family members, who had been awaiting her return for over two decades, embraced her with tears and open arms near the Wagah border.
Maroof has made it his mission since 2018 to help those trafficked to Pakistan return to their countries. He has assisted nearly 100 individuals, inspired by his mother’s encouragement to help reunite a Bangladeshi woman with his family.
Waliullah Maroof, YouTuber and imam in Karachi
Speaking with mid-day, Maroof said, “One day, while browsing social media on my phone, my mother scolded me saying I was wasting my time. She suggested that I should instead help the Bangladeshi woman in our neighbourhood. That marked the beginning of my journey to reunite trafficked individuals with their families—a mission that continues to this day. Over time, I managed to trace the families of many Bangladeshi women and helped reunite them. Hamida was the only Indian woman I helped reconnect with family.”
According to Maroof, Hamida Banu visited his home and narrated her story. He recorded an 11-minute video of her and posted it on his YouTube channel and on Facebook, urging viewers to help locate her family. “In July 2022,I connected with Khalfan Shaikh, an Indian YouTuber, who identified Hamida Banu’s family,” he said.
Subsequently, the Indian Embassy in Pakistan contacted Maroof and Hamida Banu was taken to the embassy, where officials questioned her to verify her identity. On November 25, 2023, Maroof received another call from the embassy, confirming her Indian citizenship had been verified and arrangements were being made to facilitate her return to India. On Monday, the two travelled from Karachi to Lahore by flight. From there, they journeyed to the Wagah border by road, where Hamida was handed over to Indian authorities and finally sent back to her homeland.
Hamida Banu after crossing over to India
“It was a profoundly emotional moment, marking the end of Hamida’s long and harrowing journey. The embassy covered the cost of flight tickets from Karachi to Lahore. I purchased some essentials for Hamida using our funds to ensure she had what she needed for the journey. Following protocol, we were escorted from Lahore airport to the Wagah border, where Hamida Banu crossed over into India and was reunited with her family,” Maroof said.
Maroof said that Hamida Banu recounted that there were five women trafficked with her. Three of them were young and were sold by the traffickers. Hamida, being older, was left behind in a hut while the human traffickers fled. “After Hamida, I found another woman named Shahnaz, originally from Bangalore, residing in the Pak Colony area of Karachi. I was able to locate Shahnaz’s family and even spoke to her daughters. However, the challenge lies in proving her Indian citizenship. When Shahnaz was trafficked to Pakistan, her children were very young, and they did not have any documents to establish her identity as an Indian. Despite this, Shahnaz belongs to India, and I am committed to finding a way to help her return,” Maroof said.
Family never gave up
“We had given up hope but never believed she was no longer alive,” said Shahida, Hamida Banu’s sister, told mid-day. “We didn’t know where she was, but we prayed for her safety. May Allah bless Maroof who found her and reunited us.”
Indian officers at the border process Banu’s documents
“We did everything possible to bring her back to India. mid-day also helped us immensely by taking our message to the government. Today, after 24 years, we finally have her back. Our parents passed away when I was a child, and it was Hamida who raised me and cared for me like a mother”.
Apart from meeting Banu near the border, the family did not get a chance to talk much as Indian officials completed formalities.
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