Cross-border marriage springs up visa issue for couple

Groom from Uttar Pradesh arrives in Gujranwala to take his wife to India

GUJRANWALA:

Mohammad Rizwan, a young man from the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, who had been married to his Pakistani cousin, Sidra, a year ago, arrived in Pakistan to attend a reception to celebrate the couple’s marriage.

However, now the newlyweds were having difficulties in returning to India.

Rizwan’s Pakistani in-laws welcomed their Indian relations in a traditional Gujranwala manner.

The ceremony to celebrate the couple’s marriage was arranged in a grand manner in Gujranwala.

The Barat of the Indian citizen was given a unique reception in Gujranwala.

It was an event full of fun for the guests who enjoyed the reception to their hearts content.

Messages of greetings arrived from across the border as well.

Rizwan works for a private company in his home state of Uttar Pradesh.

Rizwan said that his entire family lived in Uttar Pradesh.

Sidra's mother, too, had gotten married to a Pakistani gentleman in 1996, but she had to wait several years before she came to Pakistan.

Rizwan said that he had first visited Pakistan when he had been a child.

The couple’s marriage had been arranged by Rizwan’s grandmother. Their Nikah had been solemnized a year ago.

Sidra said she had had no objections over her arranged marriage.

She said that her mother-in-law happened to be a sister of her grandmother’s, and they both were very happy with the marriage.

Sidra said that she would leave for India with her in-laws after getting the visa.

Rizwan said that getting the Indian visa for his wife was going to be an uphill task.

Rizwan had appealed to the Indian government to relax the visa policy so that he could leave for India with his wife.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2023.