The photo by S.M. Samee shows a traditionally costumed bride signing wedding papers, via Wikimedia Commons
Marriages between Pakistanis and Indians are not common. Nor are the legal and travel complications arising from cross-border weddings. But this week’s story of wedding between a Pakistani man and Indian woman – who traveled across the border legally – is leading to contradictory conclusions – from the simple case of misunderstanding to a thickening plot.
The two governments – currently facing a political standoff – also waded into the wedding mystery, as social media platforms and TV discussion programs try to unearth the reality of the unfolding mystery with a flood of probing questions and speculative answers.
On Monday, the case of Indian Uzma’s marriage to Pakistani man, Tahir Ali, took another turn as the video of a Nikkah (Islamic way of wedding) ceremony of the couple surfaced following Uzma’s claim of cheating after a visit to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
In the video, Tahir and Uzma are seen seated together, with Uzma donning a white “Niqab” (veil). Also visible are a Maulvi (an Islamic religious cleric) as well as three witnesses for their Nikkah in a local court in the Daggar tehsil of District Buner in northern Pakistan.
The video show nothing that suggests any signs of intimidation, forcible marriage or any violence. The video shows everything is proceeding voluntarily.
The video appears to contradict Uzma’s earlier statement that she was forced into marriage at gunpoint. The cleric identified as Humayun, asks for Uzma’s consent for the Nikkah to which she says yes. Later, the Nikkah was registered with a local court under law.
Uzma’s documents on late Monday disclosed that her father’s name as stated on her visa form, marriage contract, and an affidavit was different from the name submitted to the magistrate.
While her documents declared the woman as the daughter of one Muhammad Naushad, she was also listed as daughter of Sagheer Ahmed in the form submitted to the magistrate.
The video of the “Nikkah” splashed on the social media after Uzma alleged on Monday that she was forced to marry Pakistan citizen Tahir Ali at gunpoint.
According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the Indian High Commission contacted Pakistani authorities and informed that 20-year old Uzma married Pakistani man Tahir Ali but found out that he was already married and a father to four children.
The Indian media says Uzma is a doctor. Media reports say the two fell in love with each other when they met in Malaysia.
The Pakistani TV channels followed the story inquisitively. In his TV channel appearances, Tahir Ali said that Uzma was aware of his first marriage beforehand, but if she “does not wish to live with him, it is her right to do so.”
Ali stated that his wife hails from Indian capital, New Delhi, and the two first met in Malaysia. “Uzma travelled to Pakistan on May 1 via the Wagah border, and the two got married in Buner on May 3.
According to Ali’s account of events, two days after getting married, Ali visited the Indian High Commission in Islamabad along with Uzma to obtain an Indian visa, following which he lost contact with his wife.
He has also said Uzma is being forcibly kept within the premises the Indian High Commission, and filed a report with Police for recovery of his wife.
Uzma, however, claimed that her immigration documents were snatched and she was harassed and tortured during her stay with her Pakistani husband.
She filed a case under the Pakistan Penal Code section 506, and recorded her statement in front of a magistrate on Monday, stating that she did not want to leave the Indian High Commission in Islamabad until she could safely travel back to India.
According to Pakistani authorities, Uzma’s immigration documents state that she traveled to Pakistan on a visit visa. The Pakistani authorities declared that the Indian citizen did not disclose her plans to marry in Pakistan when she applied for the visa and instead expressed her intent to visit her relatives in Pakistan.
