Love Over Law: Indian Woman Declines Return, Seeks Marriage in Lahore

LAHORE NAZRANA TIMES Ali Imran Chattha
Love Over Law: Indian Woman Defies Repatriation, Vows to Marry Lahore Lover
 

In a case echoing the recent Sarabjit Kaur saga, Pakistani authorities have launched a formal investigation into another Indian woman who has overstayed her visa, declaring her love for a Pakistani government employee and refusing to return to India.
The woman, identified as Juli Begum, entered Pakistan on a visit visa last October and has remained in the country well beyond its expiration. During official interrogation, she delivered a clear and defiant message: her stay is voluntary, driven by her intention to marry her sponsor, and she will not go back under any circumstances.

A Journey Forged Online
According to her detailed statement to investigators, Juli Begum, born on May 12, 1984, in Uttar Pradesh, fell in love with her sponsor, Muhammad Khayyam, through social media. “I developed a relationship with him over time and travelled to Pakistan solely to marry him,” she stated, confirming she entered via Thailand.
Her sponsor, Muhammad Khayyam, son of Muhammad Yamin, is an employee of the Punjab Health Department residing in Lahore’s Sandha area. He confirmed the online romance to authorities. “I met Juli Begum on social media, we are in love, and I am ready to marry her legally,” Khayyam said, submitting a formal request to convert her visit visa into a family visa to solemnize the marriage.
A Life of Documentation Errors
Juli Begum, holding Indian Passport No. VS5819715 issued from Lucknow, presented a tragic personal history to explain discrepancies in her documents. She revealed her parents died in her childhood, after which she and her sisters were raised by an uncle she described as illiterate—a condition she shares.
This lack of formal education, she claimed, led to critical errors. Despite being unmarried, her passport and Indian identity documents incorrectly list her as married. “This was a mistake made by my uncle,” she explained, alleging he entered a husband’s name without any marriage having taken place.

Visa Violation and Legal Limbo

Official records confirm the specifics of her now-expired authorization: a Pakistan Visit Visa issued by the High Commission in New Delhi on October 9, 2025. The visa permitted only a single entry, within 90 days of issuance, for a maximum stay of 30 days, with travel restricted to Lahore only.
With the visa lapsed, her stay is now classified as an overstay under the Pakistan Immigration Act. Authorities have emphasized that while no initial evidence of coercion, trafficking, or criminal wrongdoing has surfaced, her overstay, travel route, and request to remain are under active examination.
Echoes of a Precedent
This case arrives in the immediate wake of the prolonged Sarabjit Kaur (Noor Hussain) matter, where an Indian woman on a pilgrimage visa married a Pakistani, overstayed, and became entangled in years of legal and diplomatic wrangling. Officials note that Juli Begum’s situation underscores the recurring legal challenges posed by cross-border relationships initiated online.
The Path Forward
“The investigation is ongoing,” a senior official stated on condition of anonymity. “Any decision regarding potential deportation or visa conversion will be made strictly in accordance with the letter of Pakistani law.”
For now, Juli Begum remains in Lahore, her future hinging on the complex interplay between immigration statutes and a personal plea for love, as the state deliberates its next move.