MEERUT, Oct. 29 -- For 38-year-old Poonam, who crossed the border from Pakistan's Swat Valley nearly two decades ago seeking safety, this Diwali brought the light she had long waited for as she finally received Indian citizenship. Living in Rampur on a long-term visa since 2004, Poonam has been granted citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), marking the end of her prolonged struggle for legal recognition in the country she now calls home. Rampur superintendent of police Vidyasagar Mishra confirmed, "The citizenship process for Poonam has been completed." Poonam and her brother Gagan had arrived in India amid the surge of militancy in Pakistan's Swat region, sent by their father, a wholesale food trader from Mingora, to escape threats from armed groups. The siblings first moved between Delhi and Rampur, where Poonam later married local businessman Puneet Kumar in 2005 and started a family. She maintained contact with relatives across the border until 2013, when the absence of a valid Pakistani ID prevented her from renewing her passport, cutting off her visits. While her brother received Indian citizenship in 2016, Poonam's applications were repeatedly rejected. Her persistence finally paid off after the CAA came into force, expediting citizenship for persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Calling it a 'Diwali gift', her husband Puneet Kumar said, "It feels like a festival gift for our family. The timing made this Diwali even more special." The couple plans to travel to Lucknow soon to complete the remaining formalities. An elated Poonam said, "Now I want to get my Aadhaar, PAN, and other Indian identity documents so that I can truly feel like an Indian citizen." Looking forward to visiting her hometown one day, she added, "When I return to Mingora, I will go as an Indian citizen carrying an Indian passport."Reflecting on their journey, Puneet said, "People on both sides are good. Only a few terrorists have tarnished Pakistan's name. We never faced hostility on either side of the border."htc...