Indian woman just married to Pakistani seeks refuge in Islamabad mission

An Indian woman has sought refuge at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad just two days after her marriage to a Pakistani national, informed sources said.

Sources in New Delhi on Sunday said the woman sought help from the mission on May 5 and necessary consular assistance was being provided to her.

According to the sources, the Indian mission is in touch with the Pakistan Foreign Office and with the woman's family in India as well in this connection.

However, as per reports in the Pakistani media, the man approached police saying his wife had gone missing after they visited the Indian High Commission.

The woman, named Uzma, on May 3 married Pakistani national Tahir Ali, who she met in Malaysia some eight months ago.

The two met and fell in love in Malaysia, where he worked as a taxi driver. Uzma then travelled to Pakistan on May 1 via the Wagah-Attari border and the two contracted a court marriage on May 3, as per the Dawn daily, citing the request for help lodged at Islamabad's Secretariat Police Station.

Tahir Ali told the police that he went to the Indian mission with his wife Uzma to apply for Indian visa.

Dawn said Uzma had earlier telephoned her brother in New Delhi to relay the news of her wedding.

Her brother reportedly asked her to visit India on her honeymoon and told her she could find a man named Adnan at the Indian High Commission who would be able to sort out the visa formalities for the trip.

Uzma then went inside the building on being called by officials while he stayed back, the report said.

When his wife did not return even after several hours, Ali asked Indian High Commission officials who claimed Uzma was not there.

Pakistani media said the matter had been taken up at the diplomatic level by Islamabad.

The Dawn quoted the Pakistani Foreign Office as saying it was in contact with the Indian mission "and the issue would be resolved soon".

--IANS

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