‘How could she?’, ‘Deshdrohi’, ‘Crazy Woman’, ‘Aren’t there any good guys left in her community over here?’, ‘Don’t talk about her, I’m too pi#@$* off with her’… These were the colourful reactions I got upon reaching office the morning after our beloved tennis ace, Sania Mirza, announced to the world that she was going in for ‘holy matrimony’ with ex-Pakistan cricket captain, Shoaib Malik.
I wondered if a similar reaction came from people decades ago when information about actress Nina Gupta’s love-child with West Indies cricketer Viv Richards was made public. Anyways, that was yesterday and this is a different ball-game.
I mean marrying a PAKISTANI? I’ve heard that those guys have horns on their shoulders and eat their wives’ flesh for fun. Or at least that is what I can gather from the shell-shocked faces of the eminently educated people around me. If at all, one has to have an opinion, why can’t we form it on better/different ideologies?
We are a species obsessed with each others' personal lives and have a worthless opinion about everything under the sun. Talking about things as redundant as ‘community/caste’, ‘marriage’ or even nationalism in the 21st century, when the world is nothing but a cheap Chinese imitation of the US of A, simply goes out to show that we live in a duality of sorts, where our ‘morals’ and ‘actions’ are two different realms. Face it, we rant more than we deliver or practice.
Coming back to Sania, we really gotta give it to the girl for loving so many, with so much privacy that the media gets a whiff of it only when she wants it to. From childhood love Sohrab to numerous link-ups to now ‘true love’ with Shoaib Malik, she has qualified in my books for being an Asian competitor to Britney Spears. Their career-graphs over the past six years or so are also similar (American influences, heh heh).
Her groom, Shoaib Malik is no stranger to controversy either. The guy has seen it all, dressing room fights, accusations, allegations, public and media ire et al. He’s a Pakistani cricketer after all and these guys know a thing or two when it comes to making headlines. A broken marriage, claims of financially manipulating love for his personal gains and what not are parts of his character CV. With such a colourful past, Sania surely has found a soul mate of sorts in him.
Interestingly, our dear Shoaib is also said to have done a ‘telephonic nikaah’ with Ayesha Siddiqui, another Hyderabad girl. A marriage that he refused to admit to and the façade ended with a similar divorce being issued.
After his unceremonious ouster from the captaincy and in-out status from the national squad, he would have like to be loved, and our Sania is an expert there. He has no World Cup and she has no Grand Slam; their souls might entwine to create some peace for both.
As far as I go, two ordinary athletes who are at the fag end of their careers are getting married for whatever reasons, end of the story.
Now, whether the love-birds actually marry and have a happy-after in Dubai, earning accolades for their respective countries in the realm of sports (true patriots is what they’d like themselves to be remembered as, just like you and I), or they simply move on to greener pastures of love, one thing is certain, their relationship has truly sparked the flames of ‘Aman ki Aasha’ for many and given another reason to bicker for many more.
With so much accomplished by just a marriage, I’d say the people in question have got their money’s worth. Rest as they say, is for all to see and debate and ridicule and imitate and write and gossip and what not.
Wish Sania-Shoaib
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik recently announced that they would be getting married in April.
Wish the couple all the best for their future!
Wish the couple all the best for their future!
Islamabad: Pakistani political leaders, including former premier Nawaz Sharif, today welcomed the impending wedding of cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indi
Islamabad: Though the Sania Mirza-Shoaib Malik wedding is the cynosure of all eyes, much as the Reena Roy-Mohsin Khan, art seems to be bridging the Indo-Pakistan divide with about half a dozen artists finding love across the border despite all odds.
Even when cross-border tensions were peaking in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, artists committed "the act of insanity" and crossed over the border, giving love a chance.
The sailing has already smooth for Sania and Shoaib, who had little trouble getting visas unlike many others who had to run from pillar to post to get visas or to enable their spouses (usually husbands) to visit their respective countries.
A famous Pakistani artist who found her soulmate in India, said, "Me marrying an Indian or him marrying a Pakistani is an act of courage and of huge historical relevance much more important than any ministerial exchange, wouldn`t you think?"
Sana Khan (name changed), who married a reputed artist from eastern India, sees her husband and herself as "cultural ambassadors".
She pointed out: "This is potentially an interesting trend in future relations."
Sania and Shoaib will perhaps never be able to articulate the significance of such marriages like Khan.
Khan`s decision to marry an Indian wasn`t easy.
"My parents are originally from India, so it was too much of a reversal of history for them, that I would move back. They have `explained away` India from their minds for psychological reasons and to hear of me moving back, of course, filled them with trepidation," she said.
"Everyone in their right minds knows that an Indo-Pakistan marriage can be a logistical nightmare and wouldn`t wish that for their child. It`s a very strong political divide.
"Though for the couples concerned, the marriage and the move is a natural enough thing to do if you care for each other for society at large it`s an act of insanity," she said.
Khan met her husband when she was in India for an artists` residency in 2001. The marriage took place recently.
Apart from Indian and Pakistani society not accepting such marriages (and landlords refusing to rent out homes to such couples), it is always the wife who has to move to her spouse`s country.
"In all Indo-Pakistan marriages, the men, whether Indian or Pakistani, are the ones who have a harder time getting visas. So the women end up moving to the other country," Khan pointed out.
Two other Pakistani artists and a journalist have married Indians and moved to India.
Three others are trying to make India their home.
Those involved in these cross-border marriages include theatre actors, writers and musicians.
Nida Ahmed (name changed), another Pakistani artist who has made India her home, said: "I have set up my home and have great friends here. For three months at a time, I can forget that my status is temporary. But then at the end of three months, I have to pull out my ticket and passport and leave."
"On the other hand if I apply for a resident permit, I can`t leave at all. Why should it have to be this or that?" she asked.
"I just want this (Indo-Pakistan relations) to become better. We function day-to-day with blinders on because it`s too tough a situation to get bogged down by. But there has to be some letting go and relaxation," Ahmed said.
"Restrictive work opportunities" is another area of complaint from these artists.
And with their numbers growing, these couples are contemplating floating a lobby group to get visas more easily.
Indian matrimonial websites too have opened franchises in Pakistan.
Shaadi.com runs a franchise from Karachi and has quite a few Pakistanis registered looking for love on the other side of Wagah.
Even when cross-border tensions were peaking in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, artists committed "the act of insanity" and crossed over the border, giving love a chance.
The sailing has already smooth for Sania and Shoaib, who had little trouble getting visas unlike many others who had to run from pillar to post to get visas or to enable their spouses (usually husbands) to visit their respective countries.
A famous Pakistani artist who found her soulmate in India, said, "Me marrying an Indian or him marrying a Pakistani is an act of courage and of huge historical relevance much more important than any ministerial exchange, wouldn`t you think?"
Sana Khan (name changed), who married a reputed artist from eastern India, sees her husband and herself as "cultural ambassadors".
She pointed out: "This is potentially an interesting trend in future relations."
Sania and Shoaib will perhaps never be able to articulate the significance of such marriages like Khan.
Khan`s decision to marry an Indian wasn`t easy.
"My parents are originally from India, so it was too much of a reversal of history for them, that I would move back. They have `explained away` India from their minds for psychological reasons and to hear of me moving back, of course, filled them with trepidation," she said.
"Everyone in their right minds knows that an Indo-Pakistan marriage can be a logistical nightmare and wouldn`t wish that for their child. It`s a very strong political divide.
"Though for the couples concerned, the marriage and the move is a natural enough thing to do if you care for each other for society at large it`s an act of insanity," she said.
Khan met her husband when she was in India for an artists` residency in 2001. The marriage took place recently.
Apart from Indian and Pakistani society not accepting such marriages (and landlords refusing to rent out homes to such couples), it is always the wife who has to move to her spouse`s country.
"In all Indo-Pakistan marriages, the men, whether Indian or Pakistani, are the ones who have a harder time getting visas. So the women end up moving to the other country," Khan pointed out.
Two other Pakistani artists and a journalist have married Indians and moved to India.
Three others are trying to make India their home.
Those involved in these cross-border marriages include theatre actors, writers and musicians.
Nida Ahmed (name changed), another Pakistani artist who has made India her home, said: "I have set up my home and have great friends here. For three months at a time, I can forget that my status is temporary. But then at the end of three months, I have to pull out my ticket and passport and leave."
"On the other hand if I apply for a resident permit, I can`t leave at all. Why should it have to be this or that?" she asked.
"I just want this (Indo-Pakistan relations) to become better. We function day-to-day with blinders on because it`s too tough a situation to get bogged down by. But there has to be some letting go and relaxation," Ahmed said.
"Restrictive work opportunities" is another area of complaint from these artists.
And with their numbers growing, these couples are contemplating floating a lobby group to get visas more easily.
Indian matrimonial websites too have opened franchises in Pakistan.
Shaadi.com runs a franchise from Karachi and has quite a few Pakistanis registered looking for love on the other side of Wagah.
Nawaj Sharif welcomes impending wedding of Shoaib-Sania
Islamabad: Pakistani political leaders, including former premier Nawaz Sharif, today welcomed the impending wedding of cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, saying it could pave the way for better relations between the two countries.
Sharif, who heads the main opposition PML-N, expressed joy over the news of Shoaib and Sania getting married, saying he was happy for them.
He told a TV news channel that "political issues too could be resolved with a similar positive approach".
Several parliamentarians hailed the engagement and said it could help pave the way for improved relations between the two countries.
The lawmakers, while speaking to the media outside parliament, congratulated Shoaib and Sania and conveyed their best wishes to the families of the couple.
Senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Haider Abbas Rizvi described the engagement as a "good symbol" for Pakistan and India.
Expressing the hope that the marriage would help bridge differences between the two neighbours, he said Pakistanis would welcome Sania to their country.
Pakistan People`s Party lawmaker Palwasha Khan appreciated Sania and Shoaib`s engagement and congratulated their families.
She said their impending marriage is a good symbol but some important issues still remaining unresolved with India. Khan expressed the hope that the Indian government would show seriousness in resolving the Kashmir dispute and differences over the sharing of river waters.
North West Frontier Province Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain too said he was pleased to hear the news of Shoaib and Sania`s plans to get married.
"Like others, we are also happy about this wedding," he told the media.
However, Minister of State for Information Samsam Ali Bokhari said the media is devoting too much time to the coverage of the engagement, which was a "routine matter".
Sania Mirza – Controversy Queen
Tennis star Sania Mirza’s life has been mired with controversy ever since she started playing tennis a few years ago. From being slammed by Muslim clerics for wearing un-Islamic clothes to being in the news for disrespecting the national flag, Sania has seen it all.
Sania ‘disrespects’ tri-colour
In January 2008, a case was filed against Sania in a court for allegedly disrespecting the national flag.
The case was filed in the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court under Section 2 of the Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act of 1971 by a local resident.
The complainant alleged that Mirza had disrespected the national Tricolour by putting her feet towards the flag during a function whose reports were carried in newspapers.
He alleged that the act of Mirza had hurt his sentiments following which he has filed a case in the court.
Sania’s security withdrawn
Later that year, Hyderabad city commissioner of police issued notices to Sania and others asking them to make necessary payments for the security obtained from City Security Wing (CSW).
Sania was given a gunman each in two shifts. Her security was withdrawn after she "failed" to pay security charges.
Sania Mirza`s father, however, denied reports that the family had refused to pay for the tennis player`s security and said the delay was a result of miscommunication with the government.
AP record shows Sania Mirza belongs to BPL family
Tennis star Sania Mirza may be a millionaire but her face appeared on a ration card belonging to a below poverty line (BPL) family in Andhra Pradesh.
The white ration card, which makes a family eligible to get rice at a highly-subsidised price of Rs 2-a-kg and social security benefits health insurance and a permanent housing, was issued to one Laxmi of Vizianagaram district with a photograph of Sania.
Youth held for threatening Sania, says he is in love
In July 2008, a youth was arrested for allegedly making threatening calls to Tennis star Sania Mirza and creating nuisance at her residence demanding that she cancels her engagement to Sohrab Mirxza.
Mohammed Ashraf (28), a civil engineering student who claimed to be in love with the 22-year-old tennis player, was allegedly sending messages and making threatening calls to her mobile phone asking her to cancel her engagement.
Ashraf went to Sania`s house at Banjara Hills and allegedly entered an argument with her father asking him to cancel her engagement as that he was in love with her.
Ashraf was booked under various sections of IPC and was being produced before a court today, the police officer said.
Sania Mirza`s engagement called off
Sania’s engagement, with a childhood friend, Mohammed Sohrab Mirza, was called off citing incompatibility.
The tennis star`s father, Imran, who also coaches and manages her career, confirmed annulling of the relationship.
Sania too refused to give the exact reasons, just confirming the news.
"We were friends for half a decade, but found ourselves incompatible during our engagement period. I wish Sohrab the best in life," she said.
Mohammed Sohrab, studying business in the United Kingdom, and Sania were formally engaged a few months ago.
Nawaz glad on Shoaib-Sania wedding
LAHORE: The chief of PML-N Nawaz Sharif has expressed joy over news of wedding of cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.
Talking to Geo News at sports day in Sharif Medical Complex here, Nawaz said we are happy for Shoaib and Sania and added that political issues could also be resolved with similar positive approach.
Talking to Geo News at sports day in Sharif Medical Complex here, Nawaz said we are happy for Shoaib and Sania and added that political issues could also be resolved with similar positive approach.
Sialkot visa not issued to Sania; valima likely in Lahore
KARACHI: Pakistan High Commission has issued visa to Sania Mirza for Lahore and Karachi only, therefore, she will have to seek special permission from the Pakistan Interior Ministry to visit Lahore after her marriage with Shoaib Malik.
The Valima reception is expected to be held in Lahore, as she has not received visa for Sialkot.
The Valima reception is expected to be held in Lahore, as she has not received visa for Sialkot.
'Will always support India'
NEW DELHI: Times Now caught up with Sania Mirza during her whirlwind visit to the Capital on Tuesday.
Congrats, this must be a very happy moment for you.
Of course, this is the day every girl dreams of in their life, I am very happy and very excited. I have butterflies in my stomach but right now I am very very happy.
You have always put your career in front, how would this affect your decision, would you be as focused?
Not at all, I think we've to go through phases in life and marriage is a phase. That doesn't mean that you've to change what you've been doing all your life. I'm going to keep playing , still healing my wrist injury in my free time. I'm planning to come back during Wimbledon.
Any message for your fans?
I have got a lot of messages on twitter and facebook. I thank everyone for the support and wishes.
Congrats, this must be a very happy moment for you.
Of course, this is the day every girl dreams of in their life, I am very happy and very excited. I have butterflies in my stomach but right now I am very very happy.
You have always put your career in front, how would this affect your decision, would you be as focused?
Not at all, I think we've to go through phases in life and marriage is a phase. That doesn't mean that you've to change what you've been doing all your life. I'm going to keep playing , still healing my wrist injury in my free time. I'm planning to come back during Wimbledon.
Any message for your fans?
I have got a lot of messages on twitter and facebook. I thank everyone for the support and wishes.
Shoaib may face lawsuit before Sania marriage
NEW DELHI: Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be Shoaib Malik`s first wife has finally hit out at the cricketer, according to reports appeared in Indian media.
The Siddiqui family is said to be in a state of shock over the reports of Shoaib-Sania impending marriage in April.
Ayesha’s father, Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui has threatened to sue Shoaib if he does not divorce his daughter. "I want divorce for my daughter.
According to Islamic law, my daughter cannot remarry if she doesn`t have the divorce paper," he said in an interview to a news channel. He also said that Sania Mirza will be Shoaib`s second wife.
Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui claimed in February 2008 that Shoaib had married his daughter in June 2002 through a telephonic nikah after having an online affair.
However, Shoaib claims that he was only engaged to her and the marriage was called off because of problems between the families.
If sources are to be believed, Ayesha met Shoaib in a Dubai restaurant in 2001 along with her friend, Maha. While Ayesha is a little plump, Maha was pretty and Shoaib fell for her. On returning to Hyderabad, Ayesha, posing as Maha, started chatting with Shoaib.
Ayesha apparently fell in love with the cricketer and convinced her parents to contact his parents and arrange for a telephonic nikah.
In 2005, when the Pakistan cricket team was in Hyderabad, the Siddiquis hosted a reception for the cricket team. A website quotes a source as saying, "Shoaib became suspicious when he expressed his desire to meet Ayesha and her parents said she was out of town."
Ayesha was reportedly working as a school teacher in Dubai and apparently sent her actual photograph to Shoaib. This made the player snap all ties with her. He said the Siddiquis he had been duped.
The Siddiqui family is said to be in a state of shock over the reports of Shoaib-Sania impending marriage in April.
Ayesha’s father, Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui has threatened to sue Shoaib if he does not divorce his daughter. "I want divorce for my daughter.
According to Islamic law, my daughter cannot remarry if she doesn`t have the divorce paper," he said in an interview to a news channel. He also said that Sania Mirza will be Shoaib`s second wife.
Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui claimed in February 2008 that Shoaib had married his daughter in June 2002 through a telephonic nikah after having an online affair.
However, Shoaib claims that he was only engaged to her and the marriage was called off because of problems between the families.
If sources are to be believed, Ayesha met Shoaib in a Dubai restaurant in 2001 along with her friend, Maha. While Ayesha is a little plump, Maha was pretty and Shoaib fell for her. On returning to Hyderabad, Ayesha, posing as Maha, started chatting with Shoaib.
Ayesha apparently fell in love with the cricketer and convinced her parents to contact his parents and arrange for a telephonic nikah.
In 2005, when the Pakistan cricket team was in Hyderabad, the Siddiquis hosted a reception for the cricket team. A website quotes a source as saying, "Shoaib became suspicious when he expressed his desire to meet Ayesha and her parents said she was out of town."
Ayesha was reportedly working as a school teacher in Dubai and apparently sent her actual photograph to Shoaib. This made the player snap all ties with her. He said the Siddiquis he had been duped.
IPL 2010: David Warner's century was topped only by Shoaib Malik's engagement to Sania Mirza
David Warner may have had little clue that on his best day yet in the IPL – on Monday – a former Pakistan captain would play party-pooper, as it were. A little before he started batting the wires were buzzing with speculation that Shoaib Malik was to marry Sania Mirza, the pin-up girl of Indian tennis. By the time Warner was mid-way through his innings, this news was confirmed, and his spectacular century was consigned to the sidelines of the day’s lead headline.
Of course, he still had the satisfaction of leading his tottering team to an emphatic 40-run win over Kolkata, who had threatened to make a meal of Delhi by reducing them to 38 for 3 in the third over with Sehwag and Gambhir both back in the pavilion. But Warner was unfazed, and finding a resolute partner in Paul Collingwood, counter-attacked with such belligerence that all the Kolkata bowlers had their noses bloodied, so to speak.
I have slipped into boxing parlance briefly but deliberately. The burly Australian southpaw’s strokes resemble jabs, hooks and upper cuts from a heavyweight boxer, and he was in devastating form this day smashing 107 off just 69 deliveries including five sixes. Thanks to Warner, Delhi coasted home easily and now find themselves in the top four as the league standing were reconfigured again.
It’s the kind of innings that has made Yusuf Pathan into a potential dollar multi-millionaire (all players are up for auction come September, remember) apart, of course, possibly having a life-size bust set up in the centre of his hometown Baroda in homage to his hitting. While it is unlikely that Warner will get similar adulation back home in Sydney (that’s a peculiarly Indian trait) he could be a multi-million dollar baby too when the franchise owners arrive with their money bags for the auction. Every franchisee is making a shopping list already and I can see Warner featuring in the calculations of most teams.
But while this may be splendid for the likes of Pathan and Warner, my own travails of reporting on the IPL get compounded. Every time I think I have sorted out the T20 puzzle, something new comes along and throws me back into a hole. Less than a week back, I had written about how the Golden Oldies were ruling the IPL. Now we’ve got Warner joining Pathan as the second centurion in the tournament and making a strong statement for young T20 specialists.
Ah well, I suppose it takes all sorts to make up this game, as it does life
Of course, he still had the satisfaction of leading his tottering team to an emphatic 40-run win over Kolkata, who had threatened to make a meal of Delhi by reducing them to 38 for 3 in the third over with Sehwag and Gambhir both back in the pavilion. But Warner was unfazed, and finding a resolute partner in Paul Collingwood, counter-attacked with such belligerence that all the Kolkata bowlers had their noses bloodied, so to speak.
I have slipped into boxing parlance briefly but deliberately. The burly Australian southpaw’s strokes resemble jabs, hooks and upper cuts from a heavyweight boxer, and he was in devastating form this day smashing 107 off just 69 deliveries including five sixes. Thanks to Warner, Delhi coasted home easily and now find themselves in the top four as the league standing were reconfigured again.
It’s the kind of innings that has made Yusuf Pathan into a potential dollar multi-millionaire (all players are up for auction come September, remember) apart, of course, possibly having a life-size bust set up in the centre of his hometown Baroda in homage to his hitting. While it is unlikely that Warner will get similar adulation back home in Sydney (that’s a peculiarly Indian trait) he could be a multi-million dollar baby too when the franchise owners arrive with their money bags for the auction. Every franchisee is making a shopping list already and I can see Warner featuring in the calculations of most teams.
But while this may be splendid for the likes of Pathan and Warner, my own travails of reporting on the IPL get compounded. Every time I think I have sorted out the T20 puzzle, something new comes along and throws me back into a hole. Less than a week back, I had written about how the Golden Oldies were ruling the IPL. Now we’ve got Warner joining Pathan as the second centurion in the tournament and making a strong statement for young T20 specialists.
Ah well, I suppose it takes all sorts to make up this game, as it does life
'Sania Mirza will be Shoaib Malik's second wife'
If Sania Mirza hoped her engagement to Shoaib Malik was going to be controversy-free, then Wednesday would have been a rude wake-up call.
The tennis player’s fiance is a married man, was the claim being made by his ‘father-in-law’. MA Siddiqui, father of Malik’s alleged first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, told DNA that the cricketer is “still married to his daughter” who is his “first wife”.
According to Islamic law, a man is entitled to marry four women though a woman can opt for remarriage only after seeking divorce — conventional bigamy norms do not apply to an individual following Islam. “He (Malik) has not divorced my daughter as yet. She continues to have the status of his wife. This means, Sania (Mirza) will be Malik’s second wife,” Siddiqui said.
According to him, the alleged marriage between Ayesha and Malik was conducted over the phone in 2002 and the Siddiquis had even hosted a reception in Hyderabad where some of the Pakistan cricketers were present. “Imran Mirza (Sania’s father) should have taken enough care before finalising this match. He should have remembered that Malik has already cheated one Hyderabadi girl. Sania, too, is like my daughter and I wish her good luck. But I sincerely feel she too is being cheated,” he said.
But the Siddiquis do not have a single photograph of Malik and Ayesha together. “We have other evidence to prove the marriage. For instance, we have the nikah nama signed by Malik. This means he accepted the marriage,” he said.
Siddiqui is currently consulting advocates and Islamic scholars to proceed against Malik, both “according to the Islamic law and the law of the land”.
Malik has been denying the marriage though Siddiqui said the denial came only in 2008 while the marriage took place in 2002. “I remember in one of the cricket matches played in Hyderabad, Arun Lal (a cricketer-turned-commentator) congratulated Malik on his marriage and he thanked him. In fact, he said this (Hyderabad) is his in-laws’ place and he dedicated that award (Siddiqui does not remember what it is) to his wife,” he said.
Claiming that his family has gone through trauma, Siddiqui also said his daughter had attempted suicide twice. The 62-year old, too, has undergone a bypass surgery recently since he was not able to bear his daughter’s troubles. “She (Ayesha) is well-educated. She recently did her MBA and worked as a teacher in an international school in Saudi Arabia.”
Though the Islamic law gives women right on the mehr (alimony) agreed to by the bridegroom during the marriage, Siddiqui said there was no specific mehr decided upon in 2002. “I don’t want anything from Malik except a formal talaq. My daughter is not able to get married again since Malik is denying divorce,” he said.
The tennis player’s fiance is a married man, was the claim being made by his ‘father-in-law’. MA Siddiqui, father of Malik’s alleged first wife Ayesha Siddiqui, told DNA that the cricketer is “still married to his daughter” who is his “first wife”.
According to Islamic law, a man is entitled to marry four women though a woman can opt for remarriage only after seeking divorce — conventional bigamy norms do not apply to an individual following Islam. “He (Malik) has not divorced my daughter as yet. She continues to have the status of his wife. This means, Sania (Mirza) will be Malik’s second wife,” Siddiqui said.
According to him, the alleged marriage between Ayesha and Malik was conducted over the phone in 2002 and the Siddiquis had even hosted a reception in Hyderabad where some of the Pakistan cricketers were present. “Imran Mirza (Sania’s father) should have taken enough care before finalising this match. He should have remembered that Malik has already cheated one Hyderabadi girl. Sania, too, is like my daughter and I wish her good luck. But I sincerely feel she too is being cheated,” he said.
But the Siddiquis do not have a single photograph of Malik and Ayesha together. “We have other evidence to prove the marriage. For instance, we have the nikah nama signed by Malik. This means he accepted the marriage,” he said.
Siddiqui is currently consulting advocates and Islamic scholars to proceed against Malik, both “according to the Islamic law and the law of the land”.
Malik has been denying the marriage though Siddiqui said the denial came only in 2008 while the marriage took place in 2002. “I remember in one of the cricket matches played in Hyderabad, Arun Lal (a cricketer-turned-commentator) congratulated Malik on his marriage and he thanked him. In fact, he said this (Hyderabad) is his in-laws’ place and he dedicated that award (Siddiqui does not remember what it is) to his wife,” he said.
Claiming that his family has gone through trauma, Siddiqui also said his daughter had attempted suicide twice. The 62-year old, too, has undergone a bypass surgery recently since he was not able to bear his daughter’s troubles. “She (Ayesha) is well-educated. She recently did her MBA and worked as a teacher in an international school in Saudi Arabia.”
Though the Islamic law gives women right on the mehr (alimony) agreed to by the bridegroom during the marriage, Siddiqui said there was no specific mehr decided upon in 2002. “I don’t want anything from Malik except a formal talaq. My daughter is not able to get married again since Malik is denying divorce,” he said.
It’s love all for Sania, Malik
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza is all set to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in April, two months after she broke her engagement with childhood friend Sohrab Mirza.
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza’s family on Monday confirmed that she was all set to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.
An Indian news channel quoted Sania’s father Imran Mirza as saying that the reports of her proposed marriage with Malik were true. According to the channel, he said the marriage would take place in a month and that the couple would settle down in Dubai after tying the knot.
Imran said both Sania and Malik would continue to represent their countries in their respective games. However, Sania’s father or any family member did not come out of the house to speak to mediapersons waiting outside to get a confirmation of the news first aired on a Pakistani TV channel.
According to Geo News, Shoaib Malik’s mother met the family of Sania, and sought Sania for her son. The channel claimed that Sania’s family has accepted the proposal and the two families are all set to conduct the engagement of the two.
The channel even claimed that the engagement ceremony was expected to take place next month. The news of Sania’s proposed marriage with Malik came two months after she called off her engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza, citing “incompatibility”.
Six months after the engagement took place here amid much fanfare, Sania decided to part ways with Sohrab.
Interestingly, Shoaib Malik was also engaged to a girl from this southern Indian city a few years ago but he later called it off. The family of the girl had even claimed that he had married her but the Pakistani star denied this.
Malik had said in January 2008 that his marriage plans with Ayesha Siddiqui ended because both families could not reach an understanding on certain issues. However, the girl’s family claimed that the they entered the wedlock through ‘nikah’ over telephone in 2002.
Ayesha’s father M A Siddiqui had even threatened to sue Malik for cheating and demanded him to give a formal divorce.
Malik was also quoted by Pakistani media as saying Ayesha was not the girl he met in Dubai and that her family cheated him by sending a photograph of another girl.
Indian tennis star Sania Mirza’s family on Monday confirmed that she was all set to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.
An Indian news channel quoted Sania’s father Imran Mirza as saying that the reports of her proposed marriage with Malik were true. According to the channel, he said the marriage would take place in a month and that the couple would settle down in Dubai after tying the knot.
Imran said both Sania and Malik would continue to represent their countries in their respective games. However, Sania’s father or any family member did not come out of the house to speak to mediapersons waiting outside to get a confirmation of the news first aired on a Pakistani TV channel.
According to Geo News, Shoaib Malik’s mother met the family of Sania, and sought Sania for her son. The channel claimed that Sania’s family has accepted the proposal and the two families are all set to conduct the engagement of the two.
The channel even claimed that the engagement ceremony was expected to take place next month. The news of Sania’s proposed marriage with Malik came two months after she called off her engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza, citing “incompatibility”.
Six months after the engagement took place here amid much fanfare, Sania decided to part ways with Sohrab.
Interestingly, Shoaib Malik was also engaged to a girl from this southern Indian city a few years ago but he later called it off. The family of the girl had even claimed that he had married her but the Pakistani star denied this.
Malik had said in January 2008 that his marriage plans with Ayesha Siddiqui ended because both families could not reach an understanding on certain issues. However, the girl’s family claimed that the they entered the wedlock through ‘nikah’ over telephone in 2002.
Ayesha’s father M A Siddiqui had even threatened to sue Malik for cheating and demanded him to give a formal divorce.
Malik was also quoted by Pakistani media as saying Ayesha was not the girl he met in Dubai and that her family cheated him by sending a photograph of another girl.
Current and former cricketers send good wishes to Shoaib-Sania
KARACHI: Current and former cricketers on Wednesday greeted with joy and best wishes on the announcement of Shoaib Malik's wedding to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza next month.
Former captain Imran Khan congratulated the couple and wished them a happy union.
"My best wishes to you (Shoaib) and Sania and I pray both of you lived a blessed life," Imran said on a popular television show.
Other players, including Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul-Haq and Kamran Akmal were also happy to hear about the union.
"I am happy for Shoaib and I hope he has a happy life. Sania is not only a good tennis player but a great person and I am happy for both of them," Afridi said.
Kamran, one of Shoaib's closest friends, said he was not surprised by the announcement and was looking forward for the Walima (reception) in Lahore next month.
"You can be sure the Lahorites will celebrate this occasion with gusto. It is a really good pairing," he said.
Even the politicians were eager to offer good wishes to Shoaib and Sania with former prime minister and leader of the Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif wishing them well.
"If the couple are happy then we should also all be happy for them and hope they life happily together," Sharif said.
First Divorce Ayesha, Then Marry Sania: Ayesha's Father To Shoaib Malik
Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be Shoaib Malik's first wife has finally hit out at the cricketer.
The Siddiqui family is said to be in a state of shock over the reports of Shoaib-Sania impending marriage in April.
Ayesha’s father, Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui has threatened to sue Shoaib if he does not divorce his daughter. "I want divorce for my daughter. According to Islamic law, my daughter cannot remarry if she doesn't have the divorce paper," he said in an interview to a news channel. He also said that Sania Mirza will be Shoaib's second wife.
shoaib malik with ahmed siddiqui fareesa siddiqui and their family in hyderebad
Flashback:
Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui claimed in February 2008 that Shoaib had married his daughter in June 2002 through a telephonic nikah after having an online affair.
However, Shoaib claims that he was only engaged to her and the marriage was called off because of problems between the families.
If sources are to be believed, Ayesha met Shoaib in a Dubai restaurant in 2001 along with her friend, Maha. While Ayesha is a little plump, Maha was pretty and Shoaib fell for her. On returning to Hyderabad, Ayesha, posing as Maha, started chatting with Shoaib.
Ayesha apparently fell in love with the cricketer and convinced her parents to contact his parents and arrange for a telephonic nikah.
In 2005, when the Pakistan cricket team was in Hyderabad, the Siddiquis hosted a reception for the cricket team. A website quotes a source as saying, "Shoaib became suspicious when he expressed his desire to meet Ayesha and her parents said she was out of town."
Ayesha was reportedly working as a school teacher in Dubai and apparently sent her actual photograph to Shoaib. This made the player snap all ties with her. He said the Siddiquis he had been duped.
Political issues could be resolved through Sania, Shoaib type positive approach : Nawaz
Former Pakistan Prime Minister and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said he is happy at the news of the wedding of Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, adding that political issues could also be resolved through a similar 'positive approach'.
Malik and Mirza will tie the knot on April 11 in Hyderabad while their wedding reception is slated to be held in Dubai on April 15.
Earlier, Mirza confirmed the news about her marrying Malik, and said both will settle in Dubai after marriage.
The two famous sports personalities would be getting married at a time when ties between India and Pakistan are not so cordial following the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
They are not the first cross-border couple. Former Pakistan Test opener Mohsin Khan had married Bollywood actress Reena Roy in the 1980s, but the marriage didn't last long.
Mirza has already clarified that she was not making any political statement by marrying Malik.
Addressing the media outside her house in Hyderabad, Sania said: "We are not getting married for making political statement. We are getting married, that is the only thing in my mind. It is as simple just like you people get married."
"I'm very happy, my family is very happy with the occasion. The reception will be held on April 15. The venue has not been decided as yet. It is still weeks away, but I'm happy," she dded. (ANI)
Malik and Mirza will tie the knot on April 11 in Hyderabad while their wedding reception is slated to be held in Dubai on April 15.
Earlier, Mirza confirmed the news about her marrying Malik, and said both will settle in Dubai after marriage.
The two famous sports personalities would be getting married at a time when ties between India and Pakistan are not so cordial following the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
They are not the first cross-border couple. Former Pakistan Test opener Mohsin Khan had married Bollywood actress Reena Roy in the 1980s, but the marriage didn't last long.
Mirza has already clarified that she was not making any political statement by marrying Malik.
Addressing the media outside her house in Hyderabad, Sania said: "We are not getting married for making political statement. We are getting married, that is the only thing in my mind. It is as simple just like you people get married."
"I'm very happy, my family is very happy with the occasion. The reception will be held on April 15. The venue has not been decided as yet. It is still weeks away, but I'm happy," she dded. (ANI)
Ashraful wants to congratulate Shoaib Malik
PUNE (India) – Sania Mirza has decided to marry Shoaib Malik and the couple has decided to settle in Dubai. However, sadly, they will not be able to move in to Ajman’s tallest tower, Burj Manara. The former Pakistani captain was promised a luxurious apartment in Ajman by a real estate company - M/s Al-Barakah Group. Malik was to be rewarded for his captaincy during the four-nation Twenty20 tournament which was held in Canada in 2008.
However, owing to the current recession in UAE, the plan is likely to be put on hold.
Malik, now playing for Chittagong Mohammedan Club in Sharjah, has sought a special permission from his captain Mohammad Ashraful to shift with his family members he has brought along with him from present Hotel in Ajman to a new hotel in Dubai.
He has put on a “Do Not Disturb” to the callers in his room, it is learnt here. He was scheduled to play a match against Tigers on Tuesday.
“I shall ask him whether the news about him marrying Sania (Mirza) is true and if he says yes, we shall congratulate him,” the team-skipper of his club, Mohammad Ashraful said from Sharjah.
It is still not clear whether Malik would now fight his one-year ban, but his brother-in-law, Irfan Zafar, speaking to this scribe has said, “I shall be meeting Abid Hasan Minto, a lawyer in Lahore, on Wednesday and discuss the case with him”.
Interestingly, the same lawyer has also been hired by the pacer, Shoaib Akhtar for the fine and ban imposed by the PCB.
However, owing to the current recession in UAE, the plan is likely to be put on hold.
Malik, now playing for Chittagong Mohammedan Club in Sharjah, has sought a special permission from his captain Mohammad Ashraful to shift with his family members he has brought along with him from present Hotel in Ajman to a new hotel in Dubai.
He has put on a “Do Not Disturb” to the callers in his room, it is learnt here. He was scheduled to play a match against Tigers on Tuesday.
“I shall ask him whether the news about him marrying Sania (Mirza) is true and if he says yes, we shall congratulate him,” the team-skipper of his club, Mohammad Ashraful said from Sharjah.
It is still not clear whether Malik would now fight his one-year ban, but his brother-in-law, Irfan Zafar, speaking to this scribe has said, “I shall be meeting Abid Hasan Minto, a lawyer in Lahore, on Wednesday and discuss the case with him”.
Interestingly, the same lawyer has also been hired by the pacer, Shoaib Akhtar for the fine and ban imposed by the PCB.
Sialkot overjoyed by Malik-Mirza wedding
LAHORE: Friends, family and fans of the Pakistani cricket star Shoaib Malik gathered outside his house in Sialkot and started dancing in the traditional bhangra style as the news broke of Malik’s wedding with Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza on Tuesday, a private TV channel reported.
Malik and Mirza will tie the knot on April 11 in Hyderabad in India, while their wedding reception will be held on April 15 in Dubai and the valima in Lahore on April 17. “We have got visas, and we are happy. Now we will be travelling to Pakistan,” said Nasima Mirza, her mother.
Appearing before the media along with her father outside her house, Sania said the couple would settle in Dubai after marriage. To another question, the tennis ace said she would support both India and her soon-to-be husband in a cricket match between the two rival countries. daily times monitor
Malik and Mirza will tie the knot on April 11 in Hyderabad in India, while their wedding reception will be held on April 15 in Dubai and the valima in Lahore on April 17. “We have got visas, and we are happy. Now we will be travelling to Pakistan,” said Nasima Mirza, her mother.
Appearing before the media along with her father outside her house, Sania said the couple would settle in Dubai after marriage. To another question, the tennis ace said she would support both India and her soon-to-be husband in a cricket match between the two rival countries. daily times monitor
My marriage has nothing to do with Indo-Pak politics: Sania
New Delhi : Indian tennis star Sania Mirza on Tuesday said her marriage with former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik next month had nothing to do with India-Pakistan politics.
A day after her family confirmed the marriage with Malik, she said they would settle in Dubai after the marriage and would continue to represent their respective countries in their games.
"We are getting married. We are not making any political statement. It is simple," she said when asked if the marriage would help improve India-Pakistan relations.
Sania family, Shoaib prepare for April wedding
To another query, she said was aware of the problems between the two countries. "I would be lying if I say I am not aware of the problems. Of course, there are issues."
"This is a happy moment, you should not talk such things while taking sweets. Be happy that we are getting married. We both are happy. Our families are happy. I don't think we can ask for more," she said when asked to comment on protests by right-wing Hindu groups against her proposed marriage with a Pakistani.
"Nothing will change. I am going to keep playing. Right now I am nursing an injury and it is a great time to get married," she said with a laugh.
On the controversy about Malik's reported marriage with a girl from Hyderabad, the tennis star said she always lived in the present.
"We will settle in Dubai after the marriage. I am going to play for India and he will Inshallah play for Pakistan," she said, adding "Dubai is my second home. There are many Indians and Pakistanis there. It is home away from home."
"I will play Olympics in 2012 and after that we will talk what my first child will do," she said when a reporter wanted to know if she wants her children to play tennis or cricket.
On which country she would support in India-Pakistan cricket matches, Sania said she would support India but would also support her husband. Sania said she met Malik six to seven years ago.
Her father Imran Mirza said the two families met and liked each other. They said the wedding reception would be held in Hyderabad on April 15 while the venue of the wedding would be decided later. "We will go to Pakistan for the Valima reception. The date for the same will be decided during the reception in Hyderabad," she added.
Sania and her family secured Pakistani visas Tuesday ahead of their wedding. Earlier, Sania's mother Naseema Mirza told reporters in Delhi that the family was set to travel to Lahore, where the marriage is expected to take place early next month.
Pakistan sports fraternity welcomes Sania-Shoaib betrothal
Malik told journalists in Lahore that the wedding date would be decided by the two families.
"Insha Allah, we are getting married soon," Malik said. "Our parents will decide the date. We (Sania and I) are very happy. Our families are also very happy."
Naseema Mirza said: "We have got the Pakistani visas. Naturally, we will be going to Pakistan. We are all very happy for Sania."
An official at the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi confirmed that visa applications of 23-year-old Sania, her younger sister and their parents had been processed.
Shoaib's family has also applied for Indian visas, Pakistani media reported.
Sania is perhaps the first Indian sporting celebrity to marry a Pakistani, who is also a sports star in his country.
Her surprise decision came two months after she called off her engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza, citing incompatibility. Sohrab Mirza is the son of a Hyderabad-based businessman.
Sania was reportedly seeing Malik for the last few weeks. Sources close to Sohrab's family believe this could be the reason she called off the engagement.
Interestingly, Malik was also engaged to Ayesha Siddiqui a Hyderabad girl some years ago but later called it off. The family of Ayesha had even claimed that he had married her but Malik denied this.
Malik said in January 2008 that his marriage plans with Ayesha ended because both families could not reach an understanding over certain issues.
However, Ayesha's family claimed that they married through nikah over telephone in 2002. Ayesha's father M.A. Siddiqui had threatened to sue Malik for cheating and asked him to give a divorce.
Malik had reportedly met Ayesha in Dubai. The Pakistani cricket team was given a grand reception by Ayesha's parents at their Hyderabad house when the team toured India in 2005.
India and Pakistan unite in sporting marriage
Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik will be married in April and plan to live together in Dubai
Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has used her Twitter page to thank well-wishers following the announcement of her marriage to Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik.
The wedding, which will take place in April, brings together two nuclear powers historically divided by political and sporting rivalry.
On Tuesday, the 23-year-old Mirza greeted her 13,205 followers with the message:
"Hi Guys! Me & Shoaib are very happy in this new phase of our life.Want to thank the media & all you guys for the wishes. Lots of love to all."
Mirza divides opinion in India, drawing criticism from strict Muslim groups for her short tennis skirts and jewellery, while gaining plaudits and fans for her achievements on the court.
She became the first Indian to win a WTA Tour title in 2005, reached the fourth round of the U.S. Open later that year and won the Australian Open mixed doubles last year.
The announcement of the marriage between the two Muslims comes two months after Mirza broke off her engagement to a childhood friend.
"I have been in the constant glare for too long and would appreciate the privacy at this very personal moment in my life," her statement said.
Malik, 28, is a former national captain who is currently serving a year-long ban from the Pakistan Cricket Board due to indiscipline on a tour of Australia.
He caused controversy in 2007 when, after losing to India in the World Twenty20 final, he thanked Muslims from "all over the world" for their support.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence in 1947.
Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik set to marry Indian star Sania Mirza
Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik will marry Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, a union of two of South Asia’s best known sports personalities.
"The news of me marrying to Sania is true," Malik posted on Twitter on Tuesday. "Inshallah (God willing) will get married in April."
The post sparked instant news coverage in the region and the marriage will continue to attract a lot of attention because neighboring Pakistan and India are longtime rivals, and have fought three wars since 1947.
Shoaib Malik to wed Sania Mirza
You will soon get some good news but it depends on my family. I expect to get married this year, Shoaib Malik said in a recent interview.
Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik is set to marry Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, a union of two of South Asia’s most well known sports personalities.
The marriage is sure to attract attention because neighbouring Pakistan and India are longtime rivals, and have fought three wars since 1947.
“The news of me marrying to Sania is true,” Malik posted on Twitter on Tuesday. “Inshallah (God willing) will get married in April.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board has fined and banned Malik for one year for unspecified disciplinary reasons following heavy defeats in both test and limited-overs series against Australia earlier this year.
The 23-year-old Mirza ended a previous engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza in January, citing incompatibility.
She issued a statement Tuesday confirming the marriage plan, but asking for privacy.
“My wedding Inshallah is going to be the biggest day of my life,” she said. “I have been in the media glare for too long and would appreciate a little privacy at this very personal moment in my life.”
Her father, Imran Mirza, said both Sania and Malik will be based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, but continue to represent their countries in their respective sports.
“This is a unique case where husband and wife will represent their respective countries in sport,” he said in a statement issued in Hyderabad, India, where the family lives.
A local television reported that Mirza, her parents and sister, had applied for a visa at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday and were expected to be issued with a visa of three weeks in duration and valid for 60 days.
Mirza, a two-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, became the first Indian woman to crack the top 40 in the international tennis rankings, reaching a career high of No. 27 in August 2007. At one time, the Muslim player was assailed by conservative elements of the Indian community for competing in short skirts and sleeveless shirts. She has not advanced beyond the first round in her last four tournaments and withdrew from tournaments in Malaysia and the United States in recent weeks due to a wrist injury. She is currently No. 92 in the rankings.
Malik, 28, was at the centre of marriage controversy five years ago when he was reportedly broke an engagement with Ayesha Siddiqui, who was from Mirza’s hometown in India.
The two had reportedly developed friendship on the internet and Siddiqui’s father had even threatened to take Malik to court.
Malik has denied any serious relationship with Siddique.
The dashing cricketer was also linked with Indian actress Siali Bhagat, and there were reports of the two meeting confidentially in 2008.
News of the Malik-Mirza engagement spread quickly on Tuesday.
It’s not the first time that a Pakistani cricketer will be married to a high-profile Indian woman.
Former test batsman Mohsin Khan, now the national chief selector, married Indian actress Reena Roy in the 1980s. The marriage later broke down.
Newspapers reported that Malik first met Mirza at Hobart, Australia in January, when the Pakistan squad was on tour and Mirza was in the city for a tennis tournament.
“It was after this meeting that Mirza’s engagement with his childhood friend broke,” a local Urdu daily reported.
Diplomatic relations between Pakistan and India grew more tense after a terrorist attack in the Indian film and financial hub of Mumbai in November, 2008. As a result, the Indian cricket team postponed its scheduled test tour to Pakistan due to security concerns.
The Pakistan government refused permission for its players to join the second edition of the Indian Premier League last year before the lucrative Indian domestic league was moved to South Africa.
Sporting relations deteriorated further when no Pakistani cricketers were picked up by Indian clubs in this year’s auction for the IPL.
Malik played for Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008.
He played 29 test matches for Pakistan and scored 1,517 runs at an average of 36.11. In 190 one-day internationals he has scored 5,141 runs at an average of 34.50 and also took 132 wickets with his off-spin bowling.
Malik lost the captaincy of the national team after Pakistan lost a limited-overs series to Sri Lanka at home last year.
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