Indian Sikh Woman Missing In Pakistan Converted To Islam, Married A Local

An Indian Sikh woman has allegedly converted to Islam and married a man in Pakistan, showed a document, days after she went missing from the group of pilgrims that had visited the neighbouring nation to celebrate Guru Nanak Dev's Praksh Parv.

Sarabjit Kaur, 52, a resident of Kapurthala in Punjab, and other Sikh pilgrims crossed the Wagah-Attari border to enter Pakistan on November 4 under a bilateral deal facilitating visits to religious shrines. The Prakash Parv this year marked the 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. The group of 1,992 Sikh pilgrims returned to India on November 13 after spending around 10 days in Pakistan. Kaur wasn't with them.

A 'nikahnama' (an Islamic wedding contract) in Urdu has now surfaced, stating that Kaur had married Nasir Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura, about 56 km from Lahore. She had converted to Islam and changed her name to Noor before her marriage, showed the document that could not be independently verified.

She was divorced and has two sons with her ex-husband, Karnail Singh, who has been living in England for nearly 30 years.

Kaur's passport was issued in Punjab's Muktsar district. Documents suggest she disappeared in Pakistan, with the immigration records missing her name for exiting Pakistan and entering India.

On Kaur failing to return to India, the Immigration Department here immediately informed the Punjab Police. The police have also sent a preliminary report to other Indian agencies. The Indian mission is in touch with the Pakistani authorities over her disappearance, news agency IANS reported, citing government sources.

Sikh pilgrims stand in a queue at the India-Pakistan Wagah border on November 4 (File)

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the top body of Sikhs, sends a delegation of pilgrims to Pakistan every year to pay tribute at the historic gurudwaras, especially on Guru Nanak's Prakash Parv. Last month, the government had allowed the Sikh devotees to undertake the 10-day pilgrimage to the Nankana Sahib shrine across the border, about two weeks after refusing permission for the trip over security concerns.