Pakistani girl finally marries Indian fiance

Lucknow: Not all such stories have a happy ending but this one did. Sadia from Karachi in Pakistan was finally allowed to come to India and exchange wedding vows with Shariq Hashmi at the latter’s residence in Lucknow on Tuesday night.

Sadia, her mother and brother, had made several attempts to obtain an Indian visa for the marriage but their efforts did not bear fruit until a Hyderabad based newspaper picked up their story.

The Union home minister’s office took note and sought details after which getting a visa became easier for the Pakistani family.

The Pakistani bride and her family arrived in Lucknow on August 21 and on Tuesday, amid family and friends; Shariq and Sadia signed the “nikahnama”.

Sadia and Shariq had been engaged in 2012 and their wedding kept getting postponed due to rejection of visa application. “We are thankful to the home minister Rajnath Singh and his office for making it possible for the wedding to take place finally. The minister spoke to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj who arranged for the visa,” said Shariq.