Dr. Khaleel Mohammad Chishty finally reached his native country Pakistan late Tuesday after spending almost 20 years in India.
82-year-old Dr chishty, who is serving life sentence in a Ajmer jail for his alleged involvement in a 1992 murder case, was last week permitted by the Supreme Court to visit Pakistan for a brief period.
The Apex court has asked Dr Chishty to return to India by November 1 for the hearing of his Special Leave Petition.
Chishty flew to New Delhi on Islamabad in a special aircraft sent by Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari.
While leaving for Pakistan, the teary-eyed Chishty said that he would like to meet the Indian national Sarabjit Singh in Lahore jail, who is facing death sentence in connection with bomb blasts in Pakistan.
Chishty was warmly received by the interior minister Rehman Malik, other political leaders and activists at the Benazir Bhutto International airport.
His house at Karachi was decorated with lights and flowers. Chishty’s family members welcomed him with his favourite food and his grand children, most of whom he had never seen, met their grand father lovingly.
Chishty thanked the Indian judiciary for allowing him to visit Pakistan and all the people who supported him throughout.
Here is the statement issued by him:
As I make my way home after 20 years I would like to thank everyone who made this day possible for me. I deeply appreciate all your support and efforts to help me, without you I may not have lived to see this day.
I am grateful to the Indian Supreme Court for allowing me to return home for five months and for expediting the special leave petition which is scheduled for hearing on 20th of November 2012. I look forward to returning as ordered by the Supreme Court of India and having my name exonerated.
Also I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to all those concerned over some remarks that were made by me during an interview after my release from prison. I wish to clarify that I did not mean to be disrespectful to the Indian Judiciary, I am a law abiding man with utmost respect for Judiciary. If my remarks hurt anyone please accept my deepest apology.