A woman from Punjab's Kapurthala district finds herself at the centre of a cross-border legal issue after her religious pilgrimage to Pakistan took an unexpected turn. Sarabjit Kaur, who travelled to Pakistan as part of a Sikh jatha last year, has reportedly been arrested by Pakistani authorities alongside her husband and now faces deportation back to India.
The Disappearance After the Pilgrimage
The sequence of events began on November 4, 2025, when Sarabjit Kaur entered Pakistan from Amritsar via the Attari-Wagah border. She was among a large group of 1,932 devotees who received a 10-day single-entry religious visa to visit Pakistan for the Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev. The entire jatha was mandated to return by November 13.
However, when the pilgrims crossed back into India, a headcount revealed a troubling discrepancy. Only 1,931 devotees returned. Official checks confirmed Sarabjit Kaur's name was absent from both Pakistan's exit records and India's entry data, prompting an immediate search operation by the Pakistani police and the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC).
Conversion, Marriage, and a Life in Hiding
Subsequent investigations uncovered a dramatic personal story. It was revealed that Sarabjit Kaur had travelled beyond the locations permitted for pilgrimage. During her stay, she converted to Islam, adopting the name Noor Hussain, and married a Pakistani national named Nasir Hussain. The couple subsequently went into hiding.
Authorities also discovered that her immigration paperwork was incomplete, lacking crucial details like her nationality and passport number, which significantly complicated efforts to locate her. The couple's hiding place was finally uncovered on Saturday in Pehre Wali village, near Nankana Sahib, where a joint team from the Intelligence Bureau and local police apprehended them.
Legal Proceedings and Impending Deportation
The case has escalated into a significant legal matter in Pakistan. A constitutional petition was filed in the Lahore High Court, alleging serious violations including breach of visa conditions, illegal overstay, and security lapses. The court has since issued a notice to the Pakistani state.
Ramesh Singh Arora, a minister in the Punjab government of Pakistan and a PSGPC member, confirmed the arrest and the subsequent action. The Pakistani government has initiated deportation proceedings, with the Attari land border identified as the probable route for her return to India. Her husband, Nasir Hussain, remains in custody as well.
This incident highlights the complex legal and diplomatic challenges that can arise from personal decisions made during religious visits across borders. It underscores the strict adherence required to visa regulations and the severe consequences of overstaying or violating the terms of a religious visa.
