HYDERABAD: Family of a 40-year-old woman, who has been stuck in Saudi Arabia for the last 25 years, has written to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj requesting for her to be rescued and repatriated. Maryam Bee left to Saudi after she married an Arabian about 25 years ago. Since then, the family alleged, she hasn’t been allowed to visit her home in Bahadurpura.
“She married Haleel Bin Mustar Iba Dukul Allah Asimi in 1993. After marriage, she had seven children with him. She is not being allowed to visit Hyderabad and meet her family members,” her mother Fatima Begum said. The same was reiterated by Maryam in a video message. “When she requests to be sent back home, her septuagenarian husband keeps saying she can go on a later date,” said her brother Syed Ali.
The family said that Maryam’s passport had expired and it had to be renewed for her to return home. “Earlier she used to keep in touch with us. Now, her family there is not even allowing her to call us. This is affecting the health of our already ailing mother,” said her second brother Syed Jabbar. The family added that Maryam was suffering from chest pain and high BP since 2016.
“She is being denied medical attention. If she doesn’t return anytime soon, something serious could happen to her,” her mother said. “On top of that, one of her seven daughters, died of cancer. She has broken down further since then.”
Here’s what the letter says...
Maryam is being kept in a house in Riyadh and she is not allowed to venture out from there or speak to anyone else. The letter requested the minister to ask the Indian Embassy in Riyadh to rescue her as soon as possible. The Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia is currently looking into the matter.