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.
A video clipping had gone viral in which he said he wanted to meet his Facebook friend Amir Razzak, who lived in Sheikhupura, in the garb of a pilgrim.
Amarjit Singh, a resident of Niranjanpur village near Amritsar, had reached Pakistan along with other 1,700 Sikh pilgrims to celebrate Baisakhi on April 12.
He said he lied to his friend’s family that his visa was valid for a month and a half.
The real purpose of his attempting to overstay in Pakistan is still not clear. He said when Razzak’s family asked for his passport, he told them that since he was part of the jatha, the passport had been deposited with the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
Amarjit’s visa was to expire on the last day of the pilgrimage, April 21. His disappearance was noticed only when the entourage he was part of embarked upon the return journey. As he didn’t appear to claim his passport, the ETPB activists were alarmed and a search started.
In the video clipping, he acknowledges that he came in contact with Razzak around six months ago when he was in Malaysia. He admitted that he had dodged the security guards to see his Facebook friend.
“I contacted Razzak and told him about my Pakistan visit. I asked him how far was Sheikhupura and when he told me that it was not far, I decided to see him. I dodged the security only to meet my friend,” he said.
Singh, reportedly, left the jatha on April 16 on a visit to Gurdwara Janamesthan in Nankana Sahib. Sheikhupura (also located in Pakistani Punjab), is around 50 km from there.
He said when the news about his disappearance was flashed on TV, Razzak's family informed the ETPB and he was taken in custody on Monday evening.
He said he was treated nicely and was now happy to be heading back home.
