Who's Aroosa Alam, former Punjab CM Amarinder Singh's friend from Pakistan?

A war of words erupted between Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Amarinder Singh over former journalist from Pakistan, Asoora Alam. Randhawa said that RAW should investigate her links with ISI.

"New Delhi: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Saturday (October 23) said that Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) should investigate Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam's links with Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).  His statement comes after he denied of initiating any probe to ascertain if Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam, who has been visiting former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for several years, has links with the ISI. 

Speaking to media personnel in the national capital on Friday (October 22), Randhawa said, "There isn't any enquiry in the matter. He is taken it in the wrong way. I think this is his own fear. I had recently asked the question regarding Amarinder Singh's link with the ISI agent. Particularly his name was taken. At that time I had said that if there would be something we will see to it." "Secondly, Amarinder Singh, who has been a Chief Minister, must know that the matters related to foreigners are investigated by the RAW and not by the state government. I don't know why he is so scared," he added.

On Friday, former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had hit back at Randhawa over his remarks concerning Pakistani journalist Aroosa Alam, and said that Randhawa never complained about her when he was a minister earlier and that she had been coming for 16 years with clearances from the Centre.

‘You were a minister in my cabinet @Sukhjinder_INC. Never heard you complain about Aroosa Alam. And she’d been coming for 16 years with due GoI clearances. Or are you alleging that both NDA and @INCIndia led UPA govts in this period connived with Pak ISI?’: @capt_amarinder 2/3

— Raveen Thukral (@RT_Media_Capt) October 22, 2021

Randhawa was in the national capital to meet the Congress leadership."They're (Capt Amarinder Singh) now saying that there's a threat from ISI. We'll look into the woman's connection with it (ISI). Capt kept raising drones issue coming from Pakistan for last 4.5 years," Randhawa had earlier said." So Captain first raised this issue and later got BSF deployed in Punjab. We will ask DGP to look into this matter," he added.

Randhawa and Singh were engaged in a war words and several tweets were exchanged with Singh replying through Raveen Thukral, his media advisor's, Twitter handle. Finally, Thukral posted a photograph of Aroosa Alam with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi with the caption, "Just by the way".

Just by the way. (File photo). @Sukhjinder_INC @INCPunjab @CHARANJITCHANNI @INCIndia pic.twitter.com/NxrrZZT4ic — Raveen Thukral (@RT_Media_Capt) October 22, 2021

Who is Asoora Alam?
Aroosa Alam reportedly met Captain Amarinder Singh in early 2000s when he visited Pakistan. A former journalist, Aroosa is the daughter of Akleem Akhtar (Rani General),  a close associate of Pakistan President General Yahya Khan.  She is married with two sons. According to media reports, singer Adnan Sami is apparently her nephew — the grandson of her maternal aunt.

Aroosa and Singh have been friends for long. When Singh returned to power in 2017, Aroosa was reportedly among the first VVIP guests to come to his swearing-in ceremony. She was present at the launch of Singh's book 'The Last Sunset' in 2010. She also attended the launch of Captain's biography 'The People's Maharaja' in 2017 and reportedly told journalists about Singh at the launch, “My relationship is a sensitive issue even back home. I am a Muslim woman and you know how people back home think.” 

Amarinder Singh shares photos of Aroosa Alam on Facebook

Singh shared a series of pictures of Alam with several politicians, Army veterans and celebrities on his Facebook page as a counter to Punjab government's allegations of her having ISI links.

"I am posting a series of pictures of Mrs Aroosa Alam with various dignitaries. I suppose they are all also contacts of the ISI. Those who say so should think before speaking. Unfortunately visas are banned at the moment between India and Pakistan. Otherwise I would invite her again," Singh wrote on Facebook.

"Incidentally I am going to be 80 in March and Mrs Alam 69 next year. Narrow-mindedness seems to be order of the day," he added.