The forthcoming wedding of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, to Indian tennis star Sania Mirzai, has captivated hearts across India and Pakistan. The marriage, which promises to be an extravagant affair, is due to take place on April 15th.
There’s just one small snag: Police have seized the Pakistani cricketer’s passport, over allegations that he’s already married.
Love all? That’s Batty…
The family of Ayesha Siddiqui from Hyderabad have informed police that Shoaib married her in 2002, prompting a preliminary police investigation. Malik, on the other hand claims to have been tricked, and insists the marriage certificate presented by Ayesha’s family was a fake.
In a BBC article on the subject, Sanjoy Majumder reports from Delhi:
“…The latest developments have cast a shadow over an unusual cross-border romance that has captivated the people of India and Pakistan.”
Online Romance or Virtual Friends?
Police spent over two hours questioning Malik at Sania’s home over charges filed against him by Hyderabad’s Ayesha, who is adamant that’s she’s already married to the Pakistani cricketer. Malik has been ordered to remain in India for the duration of the police investigation.
Following the questioning, the Pakistani-Indian sporting lovebirds held an open-air news conference, in which Malik said he was ready to co-operate with the Indian authorities.
“I am here to clear my name, and for that I am not leaving the country,” he told journalists.
Sania is standing by him and supports the investigation:
“I know, we know what the truth is and it will come out and we believe in justice,” the BBC article quotes her as saying.
The Bigger Picture
Malik has admitted to the press that he had a friendship over the Internet with Ayesha eight years ago and then married her over the telephone after they exchanged photographs.
Trouble was, according to him, the photos were of someone else and he now maintains he has never met the girl in the photos Ayesha sent him.
The BBC correspondent confirms that it is still not clear if his marriage is legally valid under Islamic law.
Sania Mirza, 23, and Shoaib Malik, 28, announced their wedding last week and plan to celebrate their marriage in both India in Pakistan before moving to Dubai.
News articles on April 7th show Shoaib speedily processing his divorce from Ayesha. Fingers and toes crossed he and Sania make it to cutting the cake!
