Family of the prisoner, including his aged wife Paramjit Kaur and physically-challenged son Shishpal, have been waiting for him at the border for the last three days. "The wait is too long. I want to see him now," said Paramjit.

"We are grateful to God that he is coming home. We fought a battle to get him free. The media, family friends and government have helped us a lot," she said.

Kashmir Singh's daughter-in-law Sukhwinder Kaur said when he left, his children were minor and now he has grandchildren.

"He will be happy to see his extended family now," she said.

GC Bharadwaj, a family friend, said they had been told by the authorities that Kashmir would come home tomorrow. "I have also spoken to Pakistan Human Rights Minister Ansar Burney and he said Kashmir will be released tomorrow. He (Kashmir) wants to visit Gurdwara Nankana Sahib before entering India," he said. "Everyone is waiting for the moment when the family will be reunited," said Bharadwaj.

Kashmir was arrested in Pakistan for spying in 1973. After a brief trial, he was sentenced to death, but it was converted to life imprisonment later by a Pakistani court.

Besides Shishpal, Kashmir has another son and a daughter who are settled in Italy. Paramjit and Shishpal survive on the little agriculture land they have in their native village.