Hamid Nihal Ansari and his mother Fauzia (background) with EAM Sushma Swaraj

His mother Fuazia Ansari hailed the minister for helping the family in getting their son back

New Delhi: Hamid Nihal Ansari, the Mumbai man who returned home after spending six years in a Pakistani jail, met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj along with his family on Wednesday and thanked her for the help by the government.

"Mera Bharat mahaan, meri madam mahaan, sab madam ne hi kiya hai (My India is great, my madam is great. Madam did everything)," she was heard saying as the family met Sushma Swaraj in the capital.

The 33-year-old software engineer, who came back to India on Tuesday, thanked Swaraj and the Ministry of External Affairs for persisting with the case and taking it up with Islamabad. He also narrated his ordeal to Ms Swaraj. He became emotional while talking about the difficult phase of his life in Pakistan. 

The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted, "Welcome home, son! Indian national, Hamid Ansari returns home after six years of incarceration in Pakistan. EAM @SushmaSwaraj warmly welcomed him in Delhi today."

Ansari, who returned to India after crossing the Wagah-Attari border, was imprisoned in the Peshawar Central Jail after being sentenced by a military court on December 15, 2015. 

Ansari was arrested in 2012 for illegally entering Pakistan from Afghanistan, reportedly to meet a girl he had befriended online.

Hamid’s release is the result of sustained Indian pressure over a period of time as 96 note verbales were issued to Pakistan, seeking consular access and clarity on the charges against him. The decision to release him was on account of relentless pressure from New Delhi, official sources in New Delhi said.

His jail term ended on December 15 but he was not able to leave for India as his legal documents were not ready.

On Thursday, the Peshawar High Court gave the Pakistan government a month's deadline to complete his repatriation process. In reply to a habeas corpus petition filed by his mother Fauzia Ansari, the high court was informed that he was in custody of the Pakistan Army and was being tried by a military court.

Hamid finally met his jubilant family at Wagah-Attari border on Tuesday in a tearful reunion after spending 2,232 days in Pakistani jails. 

Speaking to reporters, Hamid said, "I am extremely happy to be back home after 6 long years. I don't have words to express my joy."

Earlier, Hamid's mother thanked both governments of India and Pakistan and "all those people who helped us right from the beginning and who stood by our side in our time of crisis." 

Hamid's father, Nehal Ansari said, "We are very happy. No words to express our gratitude and happiness. Our thanks to all the people from the government of India and government of Pakistan. So many people were supportive."