6MONTH VISA EXTENSION TO WOMAN WHO MARRIED PAK MAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities on Tuesday said they have granted a six-month extension of the visa of Kiran Bala, a Sikh woman from Garhshankar town in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district who embraced Islam and married a Muslim man while on a pilgrimage.

The interior ministry approved the extension of the visa on Monday, officials said.

Kiran, who has taken the name Amna Bibi after her conversion, was granted a Pakistani visa valid from April 12 to 21 to visit Lahore for the Baisakhi festival.

She married Muhammad Azam, whom she reportedly befriended on social media, while in Lahore and said she did not want to return to India. Azam confirmed the news that his wife’s visa had been extended for six months. “I will receive the passport and other documents,” he said.

The interior ministry, acting on the orders of the Lahore high court, had summoned Kiran Bala and her husband to Islamabad. The couple appeared before the relevant officer on Monday but there was a delay as she did not have her passport.

Kiran’s passport was with the Evacuee Trust Property Board, which keeps the travel documents of visiting Indian pilgrims. Her passport was needed for verification of the first visa. After much delay, the ETPB shared her Indian passport, following which her visa was verified. After this, approval was granted for extending her visa. Talking to the media, Kiran said: “I am hopeful of getting Pakistani nationality too.”