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A 57-year-old Sri Lankan woman, who has lived in Pakistan for over a decade, is pleading with authorities to waive the penalty of Rs1.8 million overstay fine so she can return to her homeland.
During an interview with Independent Urdu, the Colombo-origin women, Raseena Sherief, stated that she arrived in Pakistan in 2007 to join her husband, Javed Iqbal, a Pakistani national whom she married while working in Kuwait.
After Javed’s death, her visa expired and she was unable to pay the penalty for overstaying.
“I have no relatives in Pakistan, I suffer from serious heart disease, and I’m too ill to manage anything on my own,” Rasina said in an interview. “I want to go home, but I can’t pay such a huge fine.”
According to her, she underwent two heart surgeries, and three of her valves are blocked. A local charity, Saylani Welfare Trust, has supported her for the past 13 years, helping with medical bills and a Rs6,000 monthly stipend for rent and basic needs.
On the other hand, the Federal Interior Ministry spokesperson Qadir Tawana stated that the government has not found complete details of her case. “We have yet to determine when she applied, and what her visa status was,” he said in an interview with Independent Urdu.
Tawana added that until these details are clear, no decision can be made regarding waiving the fine.
Meanwhile, Commercial Assistant Mohammad Zohar at the Sri Lankan Consulate in Karachi confirmed that Rasina visited them and provided full documentation.
The consulate has forwarded her case to the Sri Lankan Consul General, though resolution may take time due to visa overstay complications in Pakistan and the accumulated fine.
Zohar said, “She has been here for many years. Her visa expired a long time ago, and resolving the legalities will require more time.”
Rasina recounted how she met Javed Iqbal in Kuwait, where she worked as a telephone operator at age 17. They married and later lived together in Saudi Arabia for 10 years before moving to Pakistan due to health issues.
After her husband’s death, Rasina overstayed in Pakistan unintentionally and became dependent on aid. Despite contacting welfare agencies, she could not raise funds to clear the fine.
“I wish to spend my remaining days in Sri Lanka, close to my people and homeland,” she said. “I respectfully urge the Government of Pakistan to waive my penalty and allow me to return home.”
