Tired and disappointed, these families have now turned to the Indian chapter of South Asia Fraternity (SAF) for help through its Pakistan chapter.

Giving this information here today, SAF's India chapter Secretary General Satya Paul said the organisation had received a request from its Pakistan chapter on behalf of these Hindu families asking it to take up the issue with the Indian authorities.

Acting on the request, SAF (India) has submitted a petition to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, urging them to issue necessary directives to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to relax the visa rules for these families on humanitarian grounds, Paul said.