Sikh leader questions visa overstay of Punjab woman who married Pak national during pilgrimage

The return of Punjab woman Sarabjeet Kaur, who got married in Pakistan, to India has been stalled with Pakistan’s Home Ministry putting a hold on her special travel permit. Following this, Sarabjeet Kaur, who was arrested by the police, has been sent to a Pakistani shelter home (Darul Aman), where she is being kept under police protection.

Meanwhile, Sikh leader and former Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly member Mahinder Pal Singh has intensified scrutiny on Sarabjit’s visa overstay in Pakistan amid stalled deportation proceedings.

Sarabjit, 48, from Kapurthala’s Amani Pur village, travelled to Pakistan on November 4, 2025, with a 1,932-member Sikh jatha via Attari for Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary celebrations. While the group returned, she stayed and later converted to Islam with her name changed to “Noor Hussain” following her marriage with Nasir Hussain.

The 48-year-old woman’s arrest on January 4 from Nankana Sahib halted her same-day deportation after Pakistan’s Home Ministry intervention.

Talking to The Indian Express, Mahinder Pal Singh said that their concern is why the woman misused the pilgrim visa. “The case is now with the federal government. We filed a petition in the high court, but we haven’t received a date yet. They gave 15 days’ time to concerned government departments,” the Sikh leader said.

Notices issued on December 5 remain unheeded, he claimed.

“The Sikh angat at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib gathered and appreciated that I took this step; otherwise, the government wasn’t taking it seriously. Pakistan’s Sikh community wants a proper investigation because this has made the entire pilgrim system questionable,” Mahinder Pal Singh said.

He also questioned an Indian no-objection certificate (NOC) despite Sarabjit’s pending criminal cases. “Why did India give her an NOC? India knew there were already FIRs against her. Why (do you) allow a woman with a criminal record to go to Pakistan?”

While noting concerns for the Sikhs in Pakistan, he said, “There is huge resentment in the community. They’re angry that the pilgrim system was misused”.

Meanwhile, Ali Changezi Sandhu, the lawyer representing the case in the Lahore High Court, said that the matter related to Sarabjeet is still under legal proceedings. Efforts are ongoing to stay in constant touch with the court and relevant departments to complete all formalities and send Sarabjeet back to India as soon as possible, Sandhu added.