Pakistani mother, Indian son: Post-Kashmir attack, they can’t live together

Haleema Begum, 48, in the middle, with her sons on the left, at the Attari-Wagah border crossing. Haleema, a Pakistani national, had to leave India, along with her Indian sons [Yashraj Sharma/Al Jazeera]

Attari-Wagah border crossing, India — It was time to say goodbye. Standing under the searing sun, Saira, wearing a black net burqa, tightly held her husband Farhan’s hand, trying to stay together for a few more moments at the main border checkpoint between India and Pakistan.

Named after Attari village on the Indian side and Wagah across the border, this crossing has for years served as one of the few gateways for people to travel between the neighbours. But the Attari-Wagah border is now the latest place where India and Pakistan divide their citizens, including thousands of families with some members who are Indian, and others Pakistani.