LAHORE: Pakistani Rangers escorted an Indian woman, who had married a Pakistani man of her own choice, to the Wagah Border on Monday as arrangements were made to send her back to India following the expiry of her visa, sources said.
The woman, identified as Sarbjit Kaur, a Sikh by birth, had arrived in Pakistan on November 4 last year to attend a 10-day festival marking the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Her visa expired on November 13, but she did not return to India after its expiry.
During her stay, Kaur married Naseer Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura, in what officials described as a marriage of choice. She later embraced Islam and adopted the name Noor Fatima before solemnising the marriage. The couple continued to live in Pakistan following the marriage.
Sources said Kaur was brought to the Wagah Border, where she is expected to be handed over to Indian authorities after the completion of required legal and immigration procedures, including the formal parade.
According to sources, Kaur and Hussain first connected through social media in 2016, and their friendship gradually developed over several years before culminating in marriage.
Speaking to the media, Advocate Ahmed Hassan Pasha, counsel for Kaur, said his client was being sent back to India of her own free will. He said she could not legally remain in Pakistan under the Foreigners Act, 1946, without a valid visa.
The lawyer added that Kaur would return to Pakistan on a spouse visa after completing the necessary formalities in India and would later apply for permanent residence in Pakistan.
Rangers sources said arrangements for her repatriation were initiated after she overstayed her visa and failed to return to India within the permitted time.
Earlier, in November last year, Kaur appeared before a judicial magistrate in Sheikhupura, where she recorded a statement confirming her conversion to Islam and marriage. She told the court that she had married Hussain of her own free will and without any pressure.
According to the nikahnama, the 48-year-old solemnised her marriage on November 5, with a dower amount of Rs10,000, which has already been paid.
