A cross-border incident with 48-year-old Sarbjeet Kaur from Gurdaspur is shaking up how safe religious trips are handled - she remained in Pakistan, tied the knot with a resident there, then applied for local nationality. Things got intense fast: reports say family members on that side tried dragging her off against her will; because of this mess, Indian officials along with the SGPC started tightening travel limits, particularly aimed at women going alone to worship sites.
Sarbjeet Kaur first went to Pakistan back in 2015 during a religious trip with fellow Sikhs. Following her husband’s passing in India, she stayed on in the country - later tying the knot with Noor Hussain from Sheikhupura. Right now, she's asking Pakistani judges to legally acknowledge their union while also seeking permission to swap her Indian passport for a Pakistani one.
Still, it's a tricky situation. To move forward, she needs to give up her Indian citizenship officially, handle all the required paperwork for Pakistan, also go through checks at consulates. Because of these steps, her request hasn't moved ahead yet.
Some of Sarbjeet Kaur’s distant family settled in Pakistan back in 1947 - staying there after Partition, then converting to Islam over time. Once she arrived in Sheikhupura and got in touch with them, things quickly turned tense.
That evening - November 5th, close to 9 o’clock - her family members showed up at her place. They allegedly attempted to pull her out against her will.
Right after Sarbjeet sounded the alert, folks from nearby came running out - this made the family bolt on the spot. In Sheikhupura, cops got a report about the incident. Right now, local officials are checking what really went down.
Sarbjeet travelled to Pakistan with a Sikh jatha on 4 November through the Attari border. However, she failed to return with the group. When immigration officials checked the exit list, they noticed her form carried blank entries for nationality and passport details, immediately raising suspicion.
A joint inquiry by Indian and Pakistani authorities suggested she may have planned her stay in advance. Soon after, it emerged that she had already married Noor Hussain.
Officials recall similar cases from 2015 and 2018, including the well-known case of Hoshiarpur’s Kiran Bala, who adopted Islam in Pakistan during a pilgrimage and married a local man.
Taking serious note of the matter, the SGPC has now decided that no solo woman will be recommended for a Pakistan pilgrimage visa. SGPC Secretary Pratap Singh said the case exposes gaps in background checks and indicates the possibility that Sarabjeet may have had pre-existing links in Pakistan that went unnoticed.
To enhance safety and prevent misuse of religious visits, the SGPC has announced:
-A complete ban on solo women pilgrims applying for Pakistan visas through SGPC.
-Detailed scrutiny of all travel documents, marital status, and family background.
-Closer monitoring of jatha members throughout the visit.
-Immediate reporting to agencies if any member goes missing or shows signs of staying back.
Security agencies view Sarbjeet’s case as part of a broader pattern where women pilgrims are vulnerable to emotional manipulation, religious conversion, or marriage under unclear circumstances once across the border. Such incidents create legal and diplomatic complexities for both nations.
Sarbjeet, who is being referred to as Noor Hussain in Pakistan, is currently living with her husband while waiting for the court’s decision on her citizenship plea and marriage verification.
What began as a routine religious visit has now reshaped how Sikh jathas will travel to Pakistan in the future. The SGPC’s new restrictions, combined with stricter governmental checks, aim to reduce the risk of such cases repeating and ensure the safety of all pilgrims, especially women travelling alone.
