Indian woman says she was forced to marry Pakistani man at gunpoint

Her “husband” had on Sunday claimed that his newlywed wife was forcefully detained by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

New Delhi: In a fresh twist in the case of a newlywed woman who approached the Indian High Commission in Pakistan for help, claims that she was forced by a Pakistani man to marry her at gunpoint.

Her “husband” had on Sunday claimed that his newlywedded wife was forcefully detained by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

In her petition at an Islamabad court, Uzma alleged that her husband Tahir Ali also harassed and intimidated her.

Uzma's immigration documents were snatched away by her husband before forcing her to marry him at gunpoint, PTI quoted her as saying.

Uzma said that she does not want to leave the Indian High Commission premises till she could safely travel back to India.

According to reports, her husband met Uzma in the High Commission on Monday morning.

The Pakistani authorities said that Uzma in her visa application mentioned she would be visiting her relatives but did not mention about her marriage plans.

The Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi said her immigration documents state that she obtained the visa under the visit category.

The 20-year-old last week approached the Indian High Commission in Islamabad with a request to repatriate her to India. But her husband, Ali, alleged that his wife had been detained by the mission.

Pakistan foreign office spokesman Nafees Zakaria on Sunday said that "the Indian High Commission informed the ministry of foreign affairs that an Indian national, Ms Uzma, 20, had approached them with the request to be repatriated to India."

Meanwhile the External Affairs Ministry said it is coordinating with the Pakistan Foreign Office for the safe return of the woman.

The woman's brother met the external affairs minister and sought the government's help in rescuing his sister at the earliest, the ministry's spokesperson Gopal Baglay said.

He also noted that the young Indian woman, who had sought shelter in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on May 5, today recorded her statement in the Court of Judicial Magistrate in Islamabad, as per local legal requirement.

"In her statement, she said that she was sedated, assaulted, tortured mentally and physically in Pakistan by a Pakistani man who had met her in Malaysia, invited her to visit his family in Pakistan and provided the requisite sponsorship letter to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for her visa.

"She also stated that the same man also made her sign Nikah Nama at gunpoint," the spokesperson said.

The woman stated that she had taken a shelter at the Indian High Commission of her own accord and would stay there till she is sent back to India.

"The High Commission has provided her necessary consular and legal assistance. It is coordinating with Pakistan Foreign Office for the safe return of the lady to India and is also in touch with her family in India on the matter. Her brother met the external affairs minister and requested the government's help to rescue his sister at the earliest," he added.

The woman, identified as Uzma, and the Pakistani national, Tahir Ali, reportedly met in Malaysia and fell in love after which she travelled to Pakistan on May 1 via the Wagah border. Their 'nikah' was solemnised on May 3.

But the situation changed when they visited the Indian High Commission on Friday. Uzma went inside the building of the mission and did not return, according to her husband.

Ali has filed a complaint with local police that she was detained against her will.

(With agency inputs)