A 55-year-old Sikh woman from Punjab, Sarabjit (Sarbjeet) Kaur of Kapurthala, has gone missing in Pakistan after travelling there with a 1,923-member religious jatha for Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Parkash Purab. She did not return with the group on November 13, triggering a multi-agency investigation on both sides of the border.
A nikahnama and a passport copy, widely circulated, indicate that Sarabjit allegedly converted to Islam, adopted the name Noor, and married a man named Nasir Hussain from Nayi Abadi, Sheikhupura. Indian immigration officials raised the alarm when the returning jatha’s headcount showed one pilgrim missing. Her name did not appear in Pakistan’s exit records or India’s re-entry list.
The Indian High Commission in Islamabad has asked Pakistani authorities to verify whether she stayed back by choice, went missing, or travelled elsewhere without proper documentation.
Initial scrutiny of her papers has revealed inconsistencies. Her passport reportedly lists an address in Muktsar instead of Kapurthala, and names her father rather than her husband in the family details. Investigators also found that crucial fields, such as citizenship and passport number, were left blank on her Pakistani immigration form.
According to sources, Kapurthala police have confirmed that Sarabjit has three previous criminal cases against her, including charges of cheating and fraud. Her two sons also face several cases in Kapurthala, Sultanpur Lodhi, and Kabirpur, and are currently out on bail. Her estranged husband has been living in England for more than 15 years.
Punjab Police have shared initial findings with central agencies, while the Indian High Commission remains in contact with Pakistani officials. Sikh organisations have expressed serious concern, pointing to past incidents involving alleged coercion or forced religious conversion. They argue that the disappearance, despite the pilgrimage being led by the Akal Takht Jathedar, highlights shortcomings in the safeguards promised by both governments.
For now, authorities remain focused on verifying Sarabjit Kaur’s safety and determining whether the documents emerging in Pakistan reflect her voluntary decisions, misrepresentation, or possible pressure.
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