Former international cricketer Shoaib Akhtar. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ABBOTABAD:
Former international cricketer Shoaib Akhtar is set to tie the knot with a teenage girl from the district of Haripur, members of his family told The Express Tribune on Friday. Akhtar is due to visit his hometown of Rawalpindi on June 12 and family members say wedding dates have been finalised for the third week of June.
Sources said Shoaib Akhtar’s family met Mushtaq Khan, a businessman from Haripur while on Hajj last year and asked Khan’s wife for help in finding a suitable match for the 39-year-old retired cricketer.
Both families reportedly met several times upon their return to Pakistan before finalising a match between Akhtar and Rubab, aged 17.
Sources say Rubab has little interest in cricket and has three older brothers and a younger sister.
She appeared in intermediate exams conducted by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Abbottabad last month.
Sources say the mehndi function is scheduled for June 19, the rukhsati on the 20th at Haripur’s Bilawal Hall and the valima will be held in Rawalpindi on the 22nd.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 7th, 2014.
COMMENTS (73)
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Whats wrong with this? nothing illegal or immoral, There has been lots of instances in hollywood where huge age difference does exist...
rubab is 19 years old,she was my class fellow
@Yusuf: But he is following deeds a so called great man, is it wrong
Have the decency of removing this item now that Shoaib has denied the news.
@Saif: How strange! there are too many protesters against such a marriage, which is not against Islam anyway because the bride will attain 18 year age just before the marriage as has been given in The Tribune. Shame for those pseudo liberals who never condemned Shoaib and other crickters' sex scandals, but they are too honest and honorable to spare Shoaib's noble act of getting married!
That's gross. A 39 year old marrying a 17 year old... child.
@Sarah B.: well... the only restriction for marriage is "balooghat" not 18 years...
Lmao, anything can happen in pak.. smh
Please stop comparing his marriage with Imran and Jemima's. Jemima and Imran were in a relationship and that was love marriage, here we do not even know if this young Haripur girl has ever met Shoaib before marriage lol. And she is not even legally adult, this is gross.
@Mir:
Shows the sick mindset in the society
Best wishes to the couple. Nobody has the right to pry into their personal lives and whether or not the age gap is too much, its for them to decide. Glad to see Akhtar finally getting married! Congratulations to the big guy!
Allowed in islam? Still I don't see news of a 20 year boy marrying a 60 year old lady.
@Sarah B.: How come it is illegal Bibi?
Masha Allah to every Islamic and legal nikah...its a sunnah...and the age of 17 is quite a mature age in this era especially... Nikah-Mubarak to the couple..may Allah bless their relationship Insha- Allah :)
22 YEAR AGE GAP ???
That`s a huge NO BALL !!
Criticism , Is only thing this nation left with .. getting married is his choice .. what if age diff is huge .. jo ALLAH nay naseeb mn likha ho ona wohi hai .. apnay ap ko dosray sy zayda aqalmand or deendaar samjna hi sab sy bari bawakofii hai ..
It is time for federal government to make law and set minimum age to marry at least 18 years.
Shadi 2 rohon ka melaap hota hay aur Roh ke koi omer nahi hotee.
plz remove the news item as shoaib has already denied the thing
1) what is wrong with the age if someone like to marry someone of any age it is his or her choice as far as it is not forced. By the way I give you an example who has problems with age difference. In in USA Texas the minimum age requirements for Brides are 14 . Hahahaha you will say nothing but. ...
@Sarah B.: What's illegal in it?
If Akhtar has denied any such news than why it is still on the main page ? E.T is quickly becoming a tabloid
congratulations!!!
Shoaib Akhtar is marrying a teen and he can still marry teen more.
Come on those who are talking qbout the age difference... I think all of you are muslims, don't you see many examples in Islam. What the hall with all of you. Age difference is never a barrier to a successful married life. Even its better...
@KomRade: where is has been written??..its not a force marriage....
@Ch. Allah Daad: Why did you have to mention Imran Khan in your comment? Show some respect before judging an individual about their personal life!
17 Years hmmm atleast better than 9 years....
22 years younger? Crazy! Does the girl have a choice?
Already denied
http://www.dawn.com/news/1111176/shoaib-akhtar-calls-wedding-news-a-rumour
@T: I am shocked to read the age of bride, but as far as underage is concerned let me remind you she is 17 whereas law require the bride to be above 16. The Restraint Act. Correct me if I am wrong.
Best of Luck for the couple, @Ch Allah Daad sb, Imran's enmity don't make you against anything which was done by Allah's messenger too. And by the way After a great propaganda done by N-League at that time against Jemmima, she forced Imran to leave politics in Pakistan and accompany her in UK but the man of character sacrificed his personal life over the cause of Nation. if you have doubts then please go through the history.
He has DENIED this news.
http://www.thenewstribe.com/urdu/?p=406706
Denied by Shoaib Akhtars Twitter account, https://twitter.com/DaFastestBowler
http://www.dawn.com/news/1111176/shoaib-akhtar-calls-wedding-news-a-rumour
Its not good decision....This must not be done.
Shoaib thats definitely a no-ball. Theres a huge maturity gap. Find someone your own age.
@Ch. Allah Daad: The same age difference is between Wasim and his wife.
Shoaib Akthar has denied the news as rumours .. pathetic journalism .. jo dil main aaya post kar diya .. wah standards of Express Tribune !!! Please do some investigation before posting news on your website
Well !......well !..........what can one say but to wish them well.
mubarakaaan....pindi express
She is old enough to be her daughter.
Anyways, congrats to Shoaib and good luck to the girl.
Even though he is 39, mentally he is not even 17; Under developed and mentally handicapped Shoaib is lucky that some young kiddo and her parents have condoned his being handicapped and accepted him as is; Shoaib should be thankful and feel very obliged that someone is doing a great favor to him; Maybe in time the young girl will realize what blunder or a good thing she did;
Great job, contragrats...let the jealous fry..
There is no issue of age difference... Shoaib will go back to his college days being with a teenager while his maturity will work in a good way to treat his wife.
Good Luck Shoaib..
Hello People he is not doing against Islam and he is freedom to do marriage according to his or family choice very shameful reaction from Media and nation.
You guys are just jealous
What will be done for law of minimum age for marriage is 18 years?
why is it being presented like this by tribune?
I have arrange marriage is it match fixing too?
the minimum age for registering a Nikkah is 18! isn't it? or Tribune forgot to fact-check about that also, Which won't be New.
I have a Muslim friend here in UK. He used to drop his daughter at school. Other parents thought he was her grand dad.
Shoaib IS old enough to be her father!
Really ? o na kar !
39 off 17, so huge gap, that too for a tail-ender ;)
Aor Sharum tum Ko nahi Ati
Akhtar played with experienced players all his life, but ultimately, chose a novice.
39 year old about to marry a 17 year young kid... I just puked in my mouth.
was that 39 years and 17 years ??? :S
No Body is Allowed to marry before 18.
ABAY BACHI KI JAN LEGA KIA :p
marrying a minor? wow that's a new low... oh wait, its Pakistan, no one will bat an eye
Agreeed@Yusuf:
I hope this is untrue because marrying a 17 year old is just wrong.
Thats not even legal! Well then again it is pakistan. ..
Underage Marriage? Oh well its only a crime in Sindh!!
@ Yusuf It is a arrange marriage, There is no restriction by the law of the land. You cannot enforce your thinking on other people or you just wrote for the sake of writing a comment. My best wishes to the couple.
What the fish did I just read?!!
Bit of an age difference there, no? Sports heroes should be role models for us, and this is certainly NO role for us to emulate! My advice to Shoaib, avoid this cradle snatching, find someone your age.
congratulations Shoaib!