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Pakistan is home to a decent majority of Sikh Punjabis, many who have always settled here, while others have migrated over time. In our country, religious immunity, unlike that in India, is one of the biggest attractions for our neighbors who aren’t Hindu.
Every year, Pakistan concludes a huge Beisakhi festival, conducted by the Sikh community at Gurduwara Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal. Hundreds of Sikh Indians from across the border visit our country every year for this event. While some head back to their country, some decide to settle here.
Such is the story of a woman who attended the Beisakhi festival, embraced Islam and a married a Pakistani man. The woman’s name is Kiran Bala, daughter of Manohar Lal, who married Azam, a resident of Hanjarwal, Multan road, Lahore. Kiran, since accepting Islam, has changed her name to Amna Bibi.
Kiran and Azam are ecstatic of their marriage, and do not want to be separated. Thus, Kiran, now Amna (annexed here forward), has written to the ministry of religious affairs that she does not want to move back to India, and wants to settle here with her husband Azam. Amna now plans to seek asylum in Pakistan, once her visa duration is extended.
As per news, Amna has been receiving death threats for once she gets back home. Amna had arrived in Pakistan on April 12 with other Sikh pilgrims to attend the festival. This is what Amna’s statement says:
“I Kiran Bala, daughter of Manohar Lal, visited Pakistan on the occasion of Besakhi Festival after getting visa from Indian embassy. During the stay in Pakistan the undersigned embraced Islam on 16-4-2018 from Darul Uloom Jamia Naeemia Lahore and my Muslim name is Amna Bibi. Subsequent thereto the undersigned got contract marriage with one Muhammad Azam son of Khadim Hussain resident of Hanjarwal Multan Road, Lahore.
Copies of certificate of embracing Islam as well as Nikah nama are appended herewith. Now in the given circumstances, the undersigned could not return back to India and the undersigned have receiving life threats of assassination therefore, the undersigned intends to extend her visa”
Kiran’s change of heart and accepting Islam shows that even religion has no boundaries. To fall in love in Pakistan, a new identity, a new name, her past forgotten, maybe this is what life really is, sometimes.
