Love gone sour: Indian woman’s fairytale cut short

Shabnam has been locked up in her husband’s house in Karachi for 13 years.


Rabia Ali August 26, 2012
Love gone sour: Indian woman’s fairytale cut short

KARACHI: Once upon a time a young girl left her family and religion for the man she loved. After getting married, her husband flew her off to his land.

This land, however, was not far, far away and there was definitely no happily ever after: she, now, lives in Landhi, Karachi, locked away in a small room on the top floor of a house for the past 13 years.

All the terrible things that happen in fairy tales seem to be Shabnam Gul Khan’s reality.

Previously named Shirley Ann Hodges, she met Gul Muhammad Khan, a Pakistani money lender, in Ahmedabad, India, in the summer of 1997. They fell in love and got married.

Three years later, Gul flew Shabnam and their newborn daughter to meet his family in Pakistan, assuring her that they would return to India within six months.

However, as soon as Shabnam landed in Karachi, she was abruptly introduced to the nightmare her life would become: she was introduced to Gul’s first wife and six children; her Indian passport was seized; she was gifted a burqa and locked away on the top floor of her in-laws’ house.

Thirteen years since, Shabnam remains confined at the top floor of the house, and is not allowed any visitors. Her only contact with the outside world is through the internet and her mobile phone.

“I am a prisoner and this is a hell. For years, I have not gone out from my room. I want to go back to my family in India,” she said in a hushed voice.

Meanwhile, inside the five-story house in Landhi, Shabnam’s sister-in-law dodges questions, saying simply, “Shabnam observes purdah. She cannot meet anyone.”

“I don’t know why my husband did this to me; why he fooled me. What was my fault?” Shabnam told The Express Tribune by telephone. “My daughters are not allowed to go to school. We are beaten with sticks and hurled abuses. Our life is very suffocating.”

For years, Shabnam was forced to hide her husband’s cruelty from her family as she could only speak to them in front of him. But a few months ago, she managed to get through to her family independently via Skype.

Speaking from Ahmedabad, Shabnam’s brother Noel Hodges said he was shocked when he saw her after all these years. “She weighs 100kg now. She keeps crying all the time. We are very worried for her.”

Since then, Shabnam’s family has made frantic efforts for her “release”. Letters have been written to the Indian home secretary, the Indian high commissioner in Pakistan and human rights campaigner Asma Jahangir.

In Karachi, Abdul Hai of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan says they have also received letters and are seeking legal help.

Meanwhile, when the Quaidabad police questioned Gul about his wife, he filed a petition in the Sindh High Court last month, accusing them of harassment.

“We observe strict purdah in our family, which is why Shabnam is not allowed to go out,” said Gul, a man of Afghan origin, who owns an electronics shop. He further claimed that he had done a “great deed” by converting a non-Muslim to Islam.

“I am a heart patient. When I become alright, I will take her to India but for now she has to take care of me,” he added.

Shabnam, however, knows well that her husband is not her knight in shining armour and his promises to take her back to India will be broken once again.

“I regret marrying him, and the day I come out, I will file a case against him and make him suffer the same way,” she said right before hanging up the phone, as the clock in her room chimed: it was time for her husband’s return and for her to get back to her less-than-a-fairytale life.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2012.

COMMENTS (65)

Yasir | 12 years ago | Reply

I think this matter should be properply investigated and whatever comes out of it, she has every right to make decision about her. If man is found to guilty, he desrves strict punishment for ruining her life.

Muhammad Abdullah | 12 years ago | Reply

Some thing is missing in this article. If her husband is that strict then how does she have access to the internet and mobile phone? Secondly, how can an Indian Christian women fall in love with a strictly religious Afghan on first sight? (sounds absurd) and what was this Afghan/Pakistani doing in India? The relationship between the two countries is common knowledge and it is not easy for every pop and john to get Indian Visa. She has stayed locked for 13 years? during this time she never fell sick or went to the doctor? even during pregnancy? absurd I would say that this article has too many questions under its glaring headlines. There should be a thorough investigation into this issue to bring out the true facts.

One more comment, Islam allows a women to take divorce from her husband if he is not treating her well, this is done through the court where the judge orders the husband to divorce his wife. It is the responsibility of the walis (family members and witness of the women's side during her nikah) to make sure that she is being treated well. If they feel that she is not being treated well then they should go to court.

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