Sachin Singh and Pakistani woman Seema Haider who illegally entered India via Nepal (Image: Twitter)
Indian man and a Muslim woman falling in love with each other had made great stories in Bollywood for the highly appreciated films, ‘Veer Zara’ or ‘Gadar’. For 2023, we have the so-called ‘Love Story’ of Seema Haider and Sachin Singh, with the former being a native of Pakistan and crossing the borders illegally.
The social media and the web pages of prominent new handles including India Today are filled with stories appreciating the efforts made by the woman in dodging the officials and entering India illegally. They are busy drawing comparisons with Bollywood love stories.
The couple is creating a lot of buzz as, Seema has overnight turned into a Sanatani woman, wearing a Radhe Radhe scarf, putting Bindi and Sindur on her forehead, and talking explicitly in Hindi with zero Urdu words and whatnot.
The PUBG Love Story
Thirty-year-old Seema, a mother of four and 25-year-old Sachin met through an online gaming application PUBG. Seema is from Karachi, Pakistan whereas Sachin is from Greater Noida.
They became friends over the gaming application before 2019 and exchanged numbers. When the Indian government announced a ban on a number of Chinese applications, this gaming app was also banned. The duo then started talking to each other on Whatsapp.
Seema has four children all from her first marriage, she was re-married to Ghulam Haider, who had a history of abusing her, as she told the media. Later, Ghulam moved to Saudi Arabia to work as a labourer and Seema fell in love with Sachin.
After the lockdown was lifted, Seema and Sachin met in Nepal. They met for the first time in three years. They stayed together for seven days. Some reports claim, they got married to each other in Nepal only and it was Sachin who sent Seema to Pakistan so that she can get her children to India.
The YouTube Smuggling
After staying together for a week, the couple decided to have a permanent arrangement for themselves. Seema is illiterate and Sachin works at a grocery store in Uttar Pradesh.
It was a tiresome and expensive idea of bringing Seema to India legally. The couple looked for other options, the most ‘Gen-Z’ idea they opted for was searching on YouTube.
They looked for videos related to smuggling for hours and hours and found the best solution, that is, coming to India via Nepal. In May 2023, Seema reached Nepal with four of her children.
According to the police, a travel agent got Seema a ticket from Pakistan to Nepal. Some reports say she took a flight to Dubai and from there flew to Nepal. The four children in tow.
The woman for sure reached India in the third week of May via a bus from Nepal via Pokhara. Being a woman, she easily passed the security checkpoints. She is reported to have spent Rs 12 lakh to travel to India via Nepal. Some reports say, she easily crossed the border as one of her sons fell ill and she said, their father lives in India and she urgently wants to take her child to the hospital.
The arrest and Bail
As soon as Seema reached India, Sachin managed to have a place for her. He talked to his parents about marrying Seema and they agreed. For the legal proceedings, Sachin reached the court and met a lawyer. After going through the documents, the lawyer found something fishy.
It was the lawyer who informed the police and the case came to light. By then Sachin managed to send Seema away, However, she was later arrested from Ballabhgarh in Haryana on July 4. Police also arrested Sachin and his father for providing shelter to Seema.
The police recovered a sim card, a broken mobile phone, a family registration certificate, 4 birth certificates, a marriage certificate, 3 Adhar cards (all fake), a Pakistani ID card, 6 passports, 5 vaccination certificates, a bus ticket from Pokhara to Kathmandu and 2 VCR.
The three were sent to 14-day judicial custody on July 4. The woman’s children stayed with her in jail, as per the reports. However, she was granted bail on July 7.
The couple made a fervent plea that the government allow them to get married and stay in India. The police informed the Pakistan high commission in India about Seema. The central agencies also started investigating the matter.
While Seema was taken to the police station she told the media, “I left Pakistan to stay with Sachin. He means the world to me. I love him a lot. I want to get married to him and stay here (in India),” Seema said to the cameras of various TV channels, millions watching. “I have left everything for him.”
Sachin also pleaded for the same, “I am requesting the government to let us get married and stay together,” he said.
The Pakistani Bhabhi Hype
After getting bail Seema and Sachin are busy giving interviews and bytes of media. While speaking with India Today, Seema said that her daily routine now includes wearing a Radhe-Radhe strap around her neck, greeting people with folded hands, touching the feet of elders for blessings, and praying to God.
She said that she has embraced Hinduism and adopted a vegetarian lifestyle like Sachin’s family, who do not consume garlic. She said, “will get killed if returned to Pakistan”. She is making requests to UP’s CM Yogi and PM Modi to allow her stay in India.
The children have also embraced Sachin as their father figure, she said. Many people have visited her in-laws’ house to meet her and extend financial assistance to support her new life. The woman has also adopted Sanatn Dhamra.
The Social Media anger
While the media handles are busy drawing comparisons with Bollywood and calling it a cute love story, many on social media demand a background check for the woman. They allege that the woman might be a spy. Here are some of the comments:
A verified Twitter user, Arpita Shrivastava wrote, “Seema Haider has 4 children, at the age 27 years. After just passing 5th speaks fluent English, Has very good knowledge of computer operation, has five passports, has three mobile phones, sim card detection, brother allegedly in the Pakistan army, and travelled from Pakistan to Dubai, Dubai to Nepal. Secretly came to India through Nepal, As soon as she come, started wearing a saree, greeting people, trying to get into the Indian environment, speaking fluent Hindi and English, and not letting a single word of Urdu come out of her mouth…. Media is interviewing her this is not a matter of celebration, it is a matter of serious concern.”
Another verified Twitter user, Shubham Shukla wrote, “A woman entered the country through back door, playing with the security of India, instead of showing concern about this, the game of Illu-Illu is being played in India. First of all, it should be thoroughly investigated, after that review of the Nepal border. In such a situation, even terrorists can enter India tomorrow.”
A journalist Ashraf Hussain wrote, “Even the small children belonging to the Muslim community can easily answer basic questions related to Islam, while Seema Haider, a woman from Pakistan, does not even know Surah Fatiha! Investigating agencies should investigate this woman thoroughly! Looks like she is hiding something”.
Another Twitter handle named Tribal Army wrote, “The way Seema Haider, who came from Pakistan, expresses her point in the media, at first, she does not look like an ordinary working housewife from anywhere. Her communication skills are better than many news anchors in India. Security agencies should thoroughly investigate Sachin and keep a close watch on Seema Haider.”
Seema says she has no desire to return to Pakistan. But her children have the option to return to Pakistan, they have chosen to stay with her. Seema also mentioned that her first husband, Ghulam, has been absent from her life since 2020. It was then she met Sachin.
The woman should be thoroughly investigated from all possible angles. The woman has breached the security of the country and is now playing innocent, should have a thorough background check. Organiser will keep updating this story.
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