CHANDIGARH: Jawaria Khanam, 21, from Pakistan’s Karachi today crossed into India via the Attari-Wagah border near Amritsar to unite with her fiancée Sameer Khan from West Bengal and then flew to Kolkata where Khan lives.
They will be marrying next month. Khanam has come on a 45-day visa to India. Jawaria faced many hurdles before she got the Indian visa. She found the support of a Punjab-based social activist, who helped her secure the visa.
She was warmly received by Sameer and his father Ahmed Kamal Khan Yousufzai at the joint border check post. The couple will marry as per Islamic traditions. Javaria said she was over the moon and couldn’t believe she arrived in India to marry her choice of groom. The family hopes that her 45-day visa will be extended. She thanked the Indian government for granting her the visa. She also thanked social activist Maqbool Ahmed of Qadian in Punjab. “My dream is about to come true due to his support.”
Sameer said they plan a wedding party on January 6. “I helped Jawaria Khanam to get the visa. Her as well as her parents’ request for the visa was earlier turned down twice. “Last year in September, Sameer contacted me and asked for my help. I guided them and also did the paperwork for the visa. She applied for the visa in August this year and got it in the last week of November,’’ said Maqbool Ahmed.
“Sameer liked her when he saw her photo on his mother’s mobile phone as they are distant relatives. He wants to get married to her. In 2018 they got engaged online and then their families met for the first time in Thailand for the engagement,’’ said Ahmed. Sameer’s family owns a leather export business in Kolkata and Jawaria’s father is a homeopathic doctor in Karachi.
Engaged in 2018
Activist Maqbool Ahmed, who helped the couple with paper work, said Sameer liked her when he saw her photo on his mother’s phone as they are distant relatives. In 2018 they got engaged online and then their families met for the first time in Thailand for the engagement.” Sameer’s family owns a leather export business in Kolkata