Missing Indian pilgrim found in Pakistan

An Indian Sikh pilgrim, who was reported to have gone missing in Pakistan during Baisakhi festival celebrations, was found staying in his Facebook friend's house in Sheikhupura city, the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has said.

Amarjeet Singh, 23, from Amritsar, arrived in Pakistan on April 12 to attend the festival but failed to show up for his scheduled return along with other Sikh pilgrims on April 21.

Geo News cited sources as saying that from Nankana Sahib, Singh went to meet his Facebook friend Amir Razzak, a resident of Sheikhupura, and was staying with him for the past three days.

Singh told Razzak that he had a three-month Pakistani visa, Geo News cited the sources as saying.

Following media reports about Singh having gone missing, Razzak contacted the ETPB after which officials took the Indian man into protective custody.

Singh was expected to be handed over to the Indian authorities on Tuesday.

His disappearance came at the heels of another visiting Indian pilgrim Kiran Bala, who married Pakistani national Mohammad Azam and applied for Pakistani citizenship.

She went to Pakistan on a pilgrimage on April 12 and reportedly went missing on April 16. But later, she reportedly embraced Islam and married Azam.

Around 1,700 Indian pilgrims had gone to Pakistan to visit Sikh shrines, including Panja Sahib Gurdwara near Lahore and Nankana Sahib -- the birth place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, on the occasion of Baisakhi on April 13.

--IANS

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