Pakistani man held in India after 'illegal' entry over 'secret' marriage
Pakistani Rangers (wearing black uniforms) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officers lower their national flags during parade on the Pakistan's 72nd Independence Day, at the Pakistan-India joint check-post at Wagah border, near Lahore. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
A Pakistani citizen, hailing from Shangla, was arrested in India for illegal entry and living with his in-laws after a "secret" marriage, it emerged on Tuesday.
According to Indian media, Faiz Muhammad was taken into custody from Hyderabad, India, for allegedly entering the country illegally.
Faiz, a resident of Shangla, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, reportedly met Indian citizen Neha Fatima while living in Sharjah, UAE, in 2019. Colleagues at a garment factory, the two tied the knot and had a child - now three years old - that his family back in Pakistan remained unaware of.
Neha later returned to India with their son.
Family members told Pakistani media outlets that they had no knowledge of the marriage and had in fact been unable to reach Faiz since August 24, with his mobile services appearing to be switched off.
Read Indian woman contracts marriage with K-P man
Earlier, Indian media reported that Faiz had entered India via Nepal bypassing legal channels to meet Neha in 2022, and had been residing with his in-laws since.
It was when he attempted to enroll into India's Aadhaar [identification] system in Madhapur, Hyderabad, that the authorities were alerted to his presence. His Pakistani passport had allegedly expired.
Faiz's family says they were alerted to the arrest and kin in India, by news reports from the neighbouring country. They have also appealed to the Indian and Pakistani governments to facilitate his release on humanitarian grounds.
The local district police office has yet to comment on the matter.