An Indian Sikh woman Sarabjeet Kaur married a Pakistani man during a religious visit to Pakistan has been arrested and moved to a government-run shelter home in Lahore, according to officials from Punjab province. The case has drawn attention on both sides of the border as it involves marriage, immigration, and sensitive national security concerns.
Sarabjeet Kaur, 48, had travelled to Pakistan in November last year as part of a group of Sikh pilgrims who crossed the Wagah border to attend celebrations linked to the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. While the rest of the pilgrims returned to India after completing the religious visit, Kaur remained in Pakistan, leading to questions about her whereabouts.
Police later confirmed that Kaur had married Nasir Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura district near Lahore, just a day after her arrival in the country. Before the nikah ceremony, she converted to Islam and adopted the name Noor. In a video statement released earlier, she said she had come to Pakistan specifically to marry Hussain and that the decision was entirely her own. She also stated that she had approached the Pakistani embassy in Islamabad to extend her visa and apply for citizenship.
Soon after the marriage, the couple alleged that police raided their home in Farooqabad and pressured them to end their relationship. They moved the Lahore High Court, which ordered authorities not to harass them. However, despite the court’s direction, Punjab police later detained both Kaur and Hussain. Kaur was transferred to Darul Aman, a government shelter home for women in Lahore, while her husband was placed in police custody in connection with a case filed against him.
Officials in the Punjab government said the authorities are now trying to deport Kaur to India, though efforts have been delayed due to the closure of the Wagah-Attari border. They added that her continued stay in Pakistan after her visa expired has been treated as a violation of immigration rules.
The matter became more controversial after a former Punjab Assembly member filed a petition in court claiming that Kaur could be an Indian spy. He argued that her presence in Pakistan without valid documentation raised serious national security concerns. These allegations have added a political dimension to what began as a personal relationship.
Despite the growing legal and political pressure, Kaur has continued to insist that she married by choice and not under any coercion. She has described herself as a divorcee who wanted to start a new life with Hussain in Pakistan.
The case has now turned into a sensitive cross-border issue, highlighting the difficulties faced by couples whose personal lives intersect with diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. As authorities push forward with deportation plans, the fate of Sarabjeet Kaur remains uncertain, while her story continues to attract attention from legal experts, rights groups, and the public in both countries.