Indian woman married to Pakistani man shifted to Lahore shelter home

An Indian woman who married a Pakistani man of her choice has been shifted to a shelter home in Lahore, while no final decision has yet been made regarding her handover to Indian authorities, sources told Geo News on Tuesday.

According to officials, Sarabjit Singh Kaur was moved to Dar-ul-Aman in Lahore as authorities continue consultations over her legal and administrative status. The process of handing her over to Indian officials remains undecided.

Forty-eight-year-old Kaur arrived in Pakistan on November 4 with a group of Sikh pilgrims from India. She converted to Islam and married Sheikhupura resident Nasir Hussain in a marriage of choice. Instead of returning to India with her pilgrimage group, she stayed back in Pakistan.

The sources said Kaur first contacted Hussain in 2016 through social media, which later developed into a relationship.

Her lawyer, Ahmed Hassan Pasha, told Geo News that under the Foreigners Act 1946, Kaur was not authorised to stay in Pakistan, which is why arrangements were made to send her back to India. He added that she could later return to Pakistan on a spouse visa from India and subsequently apply for permanent residence.

Meanwhile, Ali Changezi Sindhu, the lawyer pursuing the case against Kaur in the High Court, said the matter was still pending before the court. During a hearing on December 5, Justice Farooq Haider sought reports from the Cabinet Division, the Punjab inspector general, the Federal Investigation Agency and other relevant institutions.

The sources said Kaur was earlier scheduled to be sent back to India after completing parade formalities at the Wagah border. However, her return could not take place due to technical issues with her travel documents.