Homecoming for India’s daughter held in Pakistan
An Indian woman who said she was forced by a Pakistani man to marry him at gunpoint returned to India on Thursday morning, a day after the Islamabad High Court allowed her deportation. Uzma, who sought refuge at the Indian High Commission in Pakistan’s capital came back via Wagah border, escorted by the officials of the Indian High Commission.
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a tweet, welcomed Uzma. “Welcome home India’s daughter. I am sorry for all that you have gone through,” Ms Swaraj tweeted.
Uzma was escorted by Pakistani security personnel till Wagah border crossing where Indian officials debriefed her for a while. She was later brought to Delhi, her native place.
Uzma, who is in her early 20s, had travelled to Pakistan earlier this month on vacation, her family said. Tahir Ali, whom she reportedly met in Malaysia and fell in love with, forced her into marrying him in Pakistan on May 3. She had appealed to a court in Pakistan on May 12, alleging that Tahir Ali had married her at gunpoint. In the days after their marriage, he had harassed and intimidated her and taken away her travel papers to force her to stay, she told the court.
Requesting the court to allow her to return to India urgently, Uzma said that she had been “terribly beaten... tortured physically and mentally and forced to sign the nikahnama” by Ali. Her husband, Ali, rejected the allegations and said, “She is still my wife. Neither she has asked for divorce nor have I divorced her.”
Islamabad High Court on Wednesday ruled in her favour and allowed her to return to India. The court also returned her the immigration papers which she said was taken away by Ali, who had submitted the documents after being told by the court to do so.
Acknowledging the government’s efforts, Uzma's brother Wasim Ahmed said, “Want to thank the government, they thoroughly helped us. Sushma Swarajji always kept us updated, made me speak to her (Uzma) once.”