Indian Sikh Woman Weds Pakistani Man; Court Orders Police to Stop Harassment
Indian Sikh Woman Weds Pakistani Man; Court Orders Police to Stop Harassment
A 48-year-old Indian Sikh woman who traveled to Pakistan during a pilgrimage reportedly married a local Pakistani man; a Lahore court ordered authorities to stop harassing the couple.
Sarabjit Kaur, a 48-year-old Indian Sikh woman, traveled to Pakistan earlier this month with a group of pilgrims for Guru Nanak Dev’s 556th birth anniversary. She is said to have met a local Muslim man in Pakistan and, after arriving in Sheikhupura district, converted to Islam. The couple’s marriage was reportedly formalized a day after her arrival in Pakistan on November 4, and a widely shared document known as a 'nikah nama' appeared online on November 14, a day after she was reported missing when she did not return with the Sikh jatha.
Days after Kaur was last seen with the pilgrimage group, Indian and Pakistani officials spoke of her disappearance and later of her marriage. The man she wed is identified as Nasir Hussain of Sheikhupura district, about 50 kilometers from Lahore. The couple went into hiding as authorities investigated and as social media posts about the marriage circulated widely.
On November 18, the Lahore High Court intervened, with Justice Farooq Haider ordering police to cease harassing the couple and to refrain from illegal raids at their home in Sheikhupura’s Farooqabad. In their petition, Kaur and Hussain claimed they were facing pressure from authorities and sought protection rather than interference. The court’s intervention was framed as a halt to harassment rather than a judgment on the marriage itself.
The case underscores the sensitive dynamics at play when cross-border pilgrimages intersect personal choices, religion, and family expectations. Kaur’s journey began as part of a large group returning from Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary celebrations, but her path diverged dramatically after she reportedly met Hussain online and began a life together in Pakistan. Police and court actions in the days that followed illustrate the tensions that can accompany such cross-border personal decisions, especially when migration, religion, and media attention collide. As of now, the couple seeks to navigate a complex legal and social landscape while maintaining privacy amid ongoing scrutiny.
Cover image source: Who is Sarabjit Kaur? Indian woman who married Pakistani man after going on pilgrimage 🔗
