Married Indian woman Anju weds Pakistani Facebook friend in Peshawar, couple go on sightseeing trip

Anju, a married Indian woman who travelled legally to Pakistan, during a sightseeing trip with her Facebook friend Nasrullah, in Upper Dir district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan, Tuesday, July 25, 2023. PTI Photo

Anju, a 34-year-old married Indian woman and mother of two, who travelled legally to Pakistan has married her 29-year-old Pakistani Facebook friend Nasrullah after converting to Islam.

The wedding took place in the presence of family members, police personnel, and lawyers in a local court in Upper Dir district. After her conversion, Anju has been named Fatima.

The couple went on a sightseeing trip amid tight security and Anju shared a video stating that she feels safe in Pakistan. Nasrullah has given an affidavit stating that their friendship has no love angle, and Anju is expected to return to India on August 20.

"Nasrullah and Anju's marriage was solemnised today and proper a Nikah was performed after she converted to Islam," senior officer at Moharrar City Police Station in Upper Dir district Muhammad Wahab told PTI.

Both appeared in the district court in Dir Bala in the presence of family members of Nasrullah, police personnel and lawyers, police said.

Malakand Division Deputy Inspector General Nasir Mehmood Satti confirmed the nikkah of Anju and Nasrullah and said the Indian woman has been named Fatima after her conversion to Islam.

He further stated that the Indian woman has been shifted to home from the court under police security, Geo News reported.

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Earlier on Monday, both Nasrullah and Anju went on a sightseeing trip amid tight security. They visited the Lawari tunnel connecting Dir Upper District with Chitral District, police officials said.

In the pictures of their visit to the picturesque tourist spots, Anju and Nasrullah were seen sitting in a lush green garden and holding hands. Anju, who was born in Kailor village in Uttar Pradesh and lived in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, has shared a short video in which she says she "feels safe here" in Pakistan, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

"I want to give this message to all that I have come here legally and with planning as it was not about two days that I came here all of a sudden, and I am safe here," she said in the video.

"I request all the media persons not to harass my relatives and children," she said. Anju is married to Arvind, who is in Rajasthan. They have a 15-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son.

Anju has travelled to Pakistan legally from India via the Wagah-Attari border.

According to an official document of the Ministry of Interior sent to Pakistan's High Commission in New Delhi, the chancery was informed that it had been decided to grant a 30-day visa to Anju, valid for Upper Dir only.

Nasrullah, a science graduate from a University in Sheringal, is the youngest among five brothers.

He has given an affidavit to local authorities, stating that there is no love angle to their friendship, and Anju will return to India on August 20.

According to a senior police official from the region, the travel documents of the Indian lady have been found to be in order and she has been allowed to stay with Nasrullah, who has been instructed to look after her.

"She travelled to Pakistan on a month-long visit visa and all her travel documents are valid and complete," Upper Dir District Police Officer (DPO) Mushtaq Khan said on Monday.

"Anju has come to Pakistan from New Delhi for the sake of love and is living happily here," Khan was quoted as saying by Geo News.

Anju's husband Arvind told the media in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan that she left home on Thursday on the pretext of going to Jaipur but later the family came to know that she was in Pakistan.

He said he was hopeful that she would return home.

Anju's incident is similar to Seema Ghulam Haider's case. Seema, a Pakistani mother of four, sneaked into India to live with Sachin Meena, a Hindu man she got in touch with while playing PUBG in 2019.

Seema, 30, and Sachin, 22, live in the Rabupura area of Greater Noida, near Delhi, where he runs a provision store, according to Uttar Pradesh Police. (PTI)