In a significant development, the Lahore High Court has intervened to protect an Indian Sikh woman who faced police harassment after converting to Islam and marrying a Pakistani Muslim man she met through social media.
Court Intervention Stops Police Harassment
The Lahore High Court issued a clear directive on Tuesday ordering police to immediately cease harassing 48-year-old Sarabjeet Kaur and her Pakistani husband, Nasir Hussain. Justice Farooq Haider presided over the case after the couple filed a petition complaining about illegal police raids and pressure to dissolve their marriage.
According to court documents, police conducted an unauthorized raid at the couple's residence in Farooqabad, Sheikhupura, and attempted to force them to end their marital union. The court's intervention came as a relief to the couple who described facing undue harassment from law enforcement authorities.
Love Story That Crossed Borders
Sarabjeet Kaur's journey to Pakistan began as part of a religious pilgrimage but transformed into a personal mission of love. She was among 2,000 Sikh pilgrims who entered Pakistan through the Wagah border in early November to attend celebrations for Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Prakash Gurpurab.
However, the pilgrimage took an unexpected turn when Kaur failed to return with the other pilgrims on November 13. Investigations later revealed that she had married Nasir Hussain just one day after arriving in Pakistan on November 4.
In a video statement circulating on social media, Kaur explained that she had known Hussain for nine years through Facebook and had deliberately traveled to Pakistan to marry him. "I am a divorcee and wanted to marry Hussain; therefore, I came here for the purpose," she stated emphatically.
Conversion and New Beginning
As part of her new life in Pakistan, Sarabjeet Kaur embraced Islam and took the name Noor before the nikah ceremony. She expressed happiness about her decision to marry Hussain and begin a new chapter in Pakistan.
The couple revealed that on the same day other pilgrims visited Nankana Sahib, Kaur instead traveled to Sheikhupura district, approximately 50 kilometers from Lahore, to be with Hussain. Senior police officials in Lahore later confirmed the marriage had been legally contracted.
Kaur, originally from Amanipur village in Kapurthala district of India's Punjab state, has taken formal steps to regularize her stay in Pakistan. She has approached the Indian mission to extend her visa and obtain Pakistani nationality.
Ongoing Investigations and Family Background
Back in India, police in Punjab have launched their own investigation into Kaur's disappearance during the religious pilgrimage. Authorities confirmed that Kaur is a mother of two sons and had been living as a divorcee before her unexpected journey to Pakistan.
Initial reports had suggested that Hussain had been living abroad for many years, though this information was later clarified through court proceedings and official statements. The case has drawn attention to the complexities of cross-border relationships and interfaith marriages in the region.
The Lahore High Court's ruling establishes an important precedent for protecting the rights of individuals in cross-cultural marriages while highlighting the ongoing challenges such couples face from authorities and society.
