Where is the Indian woman who went missing in Pakistan during the Parkash Purab celebrations?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Sarabjit Kaur is missing during a pilgrimage in Pakistan.
- Authorities from India and Pakistan are collaborating to locate her.
- The pilgrimage celebrates the Parkash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev.
- This incident highlights the importance of pilgrim safety during international travel.
- The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee organizes annual pilgrimages to Pakistan.
Chandigarh, Nov 14 (NationPress) A Sikh woman pilgrim has reportedly gone missing from her group of devotees who traveled to Pakistan on November 4 to commemorate the Parkash Purab (birth anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev. The missing pilgrim has been identified as Sarabjit Kaur, hailing from the Kapurthala district in Punjab.
Official reports indicate that she was part of a contingent consisting of 1,923 pilgrims who crossed the Attari border in Amritsar under a bilateral agreement to visit sacred sites.
This jatha was headed by Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj of Akal Takht Sahib.
After a ten-day pilgrimage visiting multiple gurudwaras in Pakistan, 1,922 members of the group returned to India on Thursday evening.
However, immigration records indicate that Sarabjit Kaur's name was absent from both Pakistan's exit and India's re-entry immigration logs, raising concerns about her whereabouts.
In response to her disappearance, intelligence agencies from both nations are actively engaged in attempts to locate her.
Sources from the Indian government have informed IANS that the Indian diplomatic mission in Pakistan is coordinating with local authorities regarding the situation.
On the day of departure, the Sikh pilgrims visited Nankana Sahib in Pakistan to honor Guru Nanak Dev Ji during Prakash Parv. It is worth noting that 14 Hindus from Delhi and Lucknow were reportedly denied permission to join the Sikh group.
Last month, the Union government granted approval for the Sikh devotees to undertake a ten-day pilgrimage to the Nankana Sahib shrine after initially denying permission due to security issues.
Every year, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) organizes a delegation of Sikh devotees to visit Pakistan, paying respect at various historic gurudwaras, especially on the occasion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Parkash Purb.