4 Barnala youths back from Iraq after paying for tickets, visas

BARNALA: Four Youths from Barnala district returned from strife-torn Iraq on Tuesday. Gurnam Singh and Devinder Singh of Khiali village and Jaskaran Singh and Makhan Khan of Moom village came back from the Arab nation and stated they had to rely on money sent by their families to arrange for visas and tickets. Lakhbir Singh of Moom and Hardeep Singh of Thuliwal village are still trapped in Iraq.
Jaskaran, who was working at a restaurant in Najaf city of Iraq, said, "We spent many days in distress before I called up my family members and asked them for money. The family managed to send $1,000, out of which I spent $400 on getting the visa and $600 to purchase the air ticket." He had gone to Iraq about three years ago.
Makhan also has a similar tale of woes. He was also working at a restaurant in Karbala city, which is more disturbed. Makhan said, "I could return safely after my family sent $ 1,000 for me. Life is miserable there and we fortunate to have came back safely."
Gurnam, who was working for a Turkish company at Basra as mason, said no government agency or individual helped them in getting back from Iraq. Gurnam, who had gone to Iraq six months back, said, "I got three months' salary from the company in the last week of June and succeeded in returning back after spending from my own pocket."
On Wednesday, Barnala deputy commissioner Gurlovleen Singh Sidhu visited families of all four and assured every help from Punjab government in their rehabilitation. "Government is committed to provide help, including loans from banks for starting businesses to those who have returned from Iraq," he said, adding that efforts were being made for the safe return of two youths of the district stuck in Iraq.