Indian Woman Trafficked to Pakistan for Two Decades Finally Returns Home

After nearly a quarter-century of separation, Hamida Banu has returned to India following her trafficking ordeal in Pakistan, a journey catalyzed by a YouTube video that connected her to her family.

An Indian woman who claims she was trafficked to Pakistan over 20 years ago has finally made her way back home. Hamida Banu's return comes 18 months after her grandson discovered her in a YouTube video. Banu, 75, declared that she spent the last 22 years as "a living corpse," cut off from her family and freedom. Her ordeal began in 2002 when she was lured with promises of a job in Dubai.

Ms. Banu supported her four children as a cook in Qatar, Dubai, and Saudi Arabia after the death of her husband. A recruitment agent convinced her to pay 20,000 rupees (approximately $250) for job placement in Dubai. Instead, she ended up in Hyderabad, Pakistan, where she was held captive for three months. Eventually, she married a street vendor in Karachi, who passed away during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her plight gained international attention in July 2022 when Indian journalist Khalfan Shaikh came across her story during a YouTube interview with Pakistani activist Waliullah Maroof. The video reached her family, and her grandson, who had never met her, initiated contact after recognizing her.

Once contact was established, Banu expressed her longing for her family during a video call with her daughter Yasmin. "Don't ask me where I was, and how I have been. I missed you all so much," she lamented, emphasizing that her captivity was not by choice.

After arriving back in India this week, Banu reflected on her emotional journey. "My video was shared two years ago. I was not sure if I would reach India," she shared. With the Indian embassy confirming her return was possible a year ago, she is now delighted to be reunited with her siblings and children, although she expressed concerns about being a burden on them.