Sikh Woman from India Disappears While Visiting Pakistan for Religious Pilgrimage

Concerns are rising as an Indian Sikh woman has gone missing during her religious pilgrimage to Pakistan. Sarabjit Kaur, originating from the Kapurthala district in Punjab, was a member of a group of 1,923 Sikh pilgrims who embarked on the journey under a bilateral arrangement aimed at facilitating religious visits to sacred sites.

The pilgrimage commenced on November 4 at the Attari border in Amritsar, directing the group to Nankana Sahib in Pakistan for the celebration of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Parkash Parv. The delegation, led by Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj of Akal Takht Sahib, was slated to visit several important gurudwaras across a span of ten days.

As the rest of the group returned to India on Thursday evening, it was noted that Sarabjit Kaur was missing from the immigration records of both nations. Her exit was unrecorded in Pakistan, and she was also absent in the re-entry documentation in India.

Authorities from both India and Pakistan have begun coordinating efforts to locate her. The Indian diplomatic mission in Pakistan is reportedly working directly with local officials to facilitate the search and advocate for the safety of the pilgrim.

This situation arises shortly after the Indian government allowed Sikh pilgrims to proceed with their 10-day journey to Nankana Sahib, following an initial refusal due to safety worries. Annually, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organizes these significant religious pilgrimages to historic Sikh locations in Pakistan, particularly during major events like Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth anniversary.

As the search for Sarabjit Kaur continues, intelligence agencies are monitoring the situation closely, underlining the hurdles related to security during cross-border religious activities. Authorities encourage vigilance among families and pilgrims and advise reporting any suspicious occurrences during such travels.