Punjab Woman Missing During Pakistan Pilgrimage Converts to Islam, Marries Local Resident

A visit meant for religious devotion has turned into a cross-border controversy after a Sikh woman from Punjab vanished during a pilgrimage to Pakistan and is now reported to have converted to Islam and married a local resident there. The case has drawn attention on both sides of the border as officials move to verify details and establish how the incident unfolded.

The woman, identified as Sarabjeet Kaur from Kapurthala district, travelled to Pakistan as part of a Sikh jatha that crossed the Wagah–Attari border on November 4. The group was visiting Pakistan to observe the 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev and was scheduled to return to India on November 13. While more than 1,900 pilgrims came back with the group, Kaur did not. Her absence prompted Pakistani immigration authorities to inform India that she had not reported for exit clearance.

Shortly after, a copy of an Urdu ‘nikahnama’ surfaced, stating that Sarabjeet Kaur had adopted the name “Noor” after converting to Islam and had married Nasir Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura near Lahore. According to the document, the marriage took place during her visit.

Indian authorities have now begun gathering background information on Kaur, including details from her native village. Officials confirmed that she is 52 years old, divorced, and has two sons with her former husband, Karnail Singh, who has been living in England for nearly three decades. Her passport, issued in Punjab’s Muktsar district, lists her father’s name rather than that of her ex-spouse.

Kaur’s departure as part of the Sikh jatha was under a bilateral arrangement that allows Indian pilgrims to visit religious sites in Pakistan during major commemorations. The group was led by Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, acting Jathedar of the Akal Takht, and visited several historically significant gurdwaras including Gurdwara Janam Asthan at Nankana Sahib and Gurdwara Sri Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur.

Pakistani authorities have submitted a preliminary report about her failure to return with the group, and further information is awaited. Indian officials are working to verify the circumstances of her stay, conversion and marriage, and whether any legal or procedural violations are involved.

The incident is expected to raise questions about cross-border pilgrim safety, documentation, and monitoring, particularly during large religious gatherings where thousands of people travel across international boundaries under special permissions.