LAHORE: An Indian woman who married a Pakistani national during her visit to Pakistan has been escorted to the Wagah Border after overstaying her visa, with arrangements under way for her return to India, officials said on Monday.
Sarbjit Kaur, a Sikh pilgrim from India, had arrived in Pakistan on November 4 last year as part of a group attending celebrations marking the 556th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. Her visa was valid until November 13, but she remained in the country after its expiry.
During her stay, Kaur married Naseer Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura, in what authorities described as a marriage of her own choice. Prior to the marriage, she converted to Islam and adopted the name Noor Fatima. The couple continued to live together in Pakistan following the wedding.
Sources said Pakistani Rangers escorted Kaur to the Wagah Border, where she is expected to be handed over to Indian authorities after completion of the required legal procedures, including a formal parade.
According to officials, Kaur and Hussain first connected through social media in 2016, and their relationship developed over several years before they decided to marry.
Speaking to the media, her counsel Advocate Ahmed Hassan Pasha said Kaur was returning to India willingly, explaining that she could not legally stay in Pakistan under the Foreigners Act, 1946. He added that she plans to apply for a spouse visa from India and return to Pakistan after completing the necessary formalities, followed by an application for permanent residence.
Rangers sources said repatriation arrangements were initiated after the woman failed to leave Pakistan upon the expiry of her visa.
In November last year, Kaur appeared before a judicial magistrate in Sheikhupura, where she recorded a statement confirming her conversion and marriage. She told the court that both decisions were made of her own free will and without any pressure, and that she wished to live with her husband.
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.
