Shoaib Malik-Sania Mirza-Ayesha Siddiqui triangle

Indian police have seized the passport of Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who is to marry Indian tennis star Sania Mirza later this month.

They questioned Malik over allegations that he is already married. Police say they are conducting a preliminary investigation after the family of another Indian woman said he married her in 2002.

Malik says he was deceived and that the marriage certificate presented by the family was a fake. The latest developments have cast a shadow over an usual cross-border romance that has captivated the people of India and Pakistan.

Malik is in Mirza’s home city of Hyderabad in southern India ahead of the wedding planned for April 15. Police questioned him in the tennis star’s house for almost two hours over charges filed against him by another woman from Hyderabad, Ayesha Siddiqui, who says she is already married to him.

A police spokesman said that the cricketer had been asked to remain in India while the investigation is carried out. Malik and Mirza later held an open-air news conference at which he said he was ready to co-operate with the Indian authorities.

“I am here to clear my name, and for that I am not leaving the country,” he told reporters. Mirza gave her support and backed the police investigation. “I know, we know what the truth is and it will come out and we believe in justice,” she said.

In newspaper interviews over the weekend, Malik admitted that he had developed a friendship over the internet with an Indian woman eight years ago and then married her over the telephone after they exchanged photographs.

But he says he eventually discovered that the photographs sent to him were of someone else. “I was made to believe the girl in the photograph was the one I was speaking to,” he said in a statement. “The truth is, I haven’t, to this day, met the girl in the photographs Ayesha sent me.”

It is still not clear if his marriage is legally valid even under Islamic law. Mirza, 23, and Malik, 28, announced their wedding last week. While celebrations will be held in both countries, the couple plan to live in Dubai and will continue to represent their respective countries in international sporting ties.

They questioned Malik over allegations that he is already married. Police say they are conducting a preliminary investigation after the family of another Indian woman said he married her in 2002.

Malik says he was deceived and that the marriage certificate presented by the family was a fake. The latest developments have cast a shadow over an usual cross-border romance that has captivated the people of India and Pakistan.

Malik is in Mirza’s home city of Hyderabad in southern India ahead of the wedding planned for April 15. Police questioned him in the tennis star’s house for almost two hours over charges filed against him by another woman from Hyderabad, Ayesha Siddiqui, who says she is already married to him.

A police spokesman said that the cricketer had been asked to remain in India while the investigation is carried out. Malik and Mirza later held an open-air news conference at which he said he was ready to co-operate with the Indian authorities.

“I am here to clear my name, and for that I am not leaving the country,” he told reporters. Mirza gave her support and backed the police investigation. “I know, we know what the truth is and it will come out and we believe in justice,” she said.

In newspaper interviews over the weekend, Malik admitted that he had developed a friendship over the internet with an Indian woman eight years ago and then married her over the telephone after they exchanged photographs.

But he says he eventually discovered that the photographs sent to him were of someone else. “I was made to believe the girl in the photograph was the one I was speaking to,” he said in a statement. “The truth is, I haven’t, to this day, met the girl in the photographs Ayesha sent me.”

It is still not clear if his marriage is legally valid even under Islamic law. Mirza, 23, and Malik, 28, announced their wedding last week. While celebrations will be held in both countries, the couple plan to live in Dubai and will continue to represent their respective countries in international sporting ties.

Sania Mirza will be Shoaib's 2nd wife?

The matrimonial alliance of Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and banned Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik seems to be heading for legal trouble.

Just when the families of the two sports personalities are getting down to making arrangements for the April 15 marriage, the family of Ayesha Siddiqui, allegedly Shoiab's first wife, in Hyderabad, has threatened to legal action.

Ayesha's father Ahmad, a Saudi Arabia-based businessman told the media in Hyderabad that he is unable to understand how Sania's family agreed to the proposal when Shoaib had cheated another girl from Hyderabad.

"Does he deserve a girl like Sania?" he asked, adding that even if the marriage takes place, Sania will be Shoaib's second wife, as he had already married his daughter Ayesha.

Siddique said Sania is like his daughter.

"Sania's parents are our good friends, but I have not talked to them about this issue. They are well-educated people and they should think about it. Whey should I give them advise?" he said, in reply to a question.

He said he and his family had gone through hell ever since Shoaib allegedly cheated his daughter.

"How can anybody tolerate this? Can you tolerate?" he asked.

He said he wants nothing from Shoaib but divorce papers. "Because without Shoaib divorcing her, my daughter cannot marry again under Islamic law."

Siddiqui said if Shoaib does not meet his demand, he will file a suit against him.

"I am consulting the top-most lawyers to take legal action."

On Shoaib's denial that he did not marry Ayesha, Siddiqui said he has a recording of the India-Pakistan match in Hyderabad, in 2005, during which Shoaib declared on television that Hyderabad is the hometown of his wife Ayesha Siddiqui, adding, "when the commentator, Arun Lal, congratulated him, Shoaib acknowledged that Ayesha was his wife".

It may be recalled that when Shoiab came to Hyderabad along with the Pakistan team, he and some team members visited the Siddiqui family in Banjara Hills and attended a reception.

The Siddiquis say that after meeting Ayesha in Dubai, he married her over telephone from Pakistan.

Asked about the controversy, Sania declared that both she and Shoaib believe in living in the present.

Ayesha's father threatens to sue Shoaib Malik

Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be Shoaib Malik's first wife has finally hit out at the cricketer.

The Siddiqui family is said to be in a state of shock over the reports of Shoaib-Sania impending marriage in April.

Ayesha’s father, Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui has threatened to sue Shoaib if he does not divorce his daughter. "I want divorce for my daughter. According to Islamic law, my daughter cannot remarry if she doesn't have the divorce paper," he said in an interview to a news channel. He also said that Sania Mirza will be Shoaib's second wife.

Flashback:

Mohammed Ahmed Siddiqui claimed in February 2008 that Shoaib had married his daughter in June 2002 through a telephonic nikah after having an online affair.

However, Shoaib claims that he was only engaged to her and the marriage was called off because of problems between the families.

If sources are to be believed, Ayesha met Shoaib in a Dubai restaurant in 2001 along with her friend, Maha. While Ayesha is a little plump, Maha was pretty and Shoaib fell for her. On returning to Hyderabad, Ayesha, posing as Maha, started chatting with Shoaib.

Ayesha apparently fell in love with the cricketer and convinced her parents to contact his parents and arrange for a telephonic nikah.

In 2005, when the Pakistan cricket team was in Hyderabad, the Siddiquis hosted a reception for the cricket team. A website quotes a source as saying, "Shoaib became suspicious when he expressed his desire to meet Ayesha and her parents said she was out of town."

Ayesha was reportedly working as a school teacher in Dubai and apparently sent her actual photograph to Shoaib. This made the player snap all ties with her. He said the Siddiquis he had been duped.

source:
www.hindustantimes.com

Shoaib Malik & Sania Mirza going to marry

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza are going to tie the knot in April 2010.

As per reports, the two sports stars have been in an affair for the last six months which had led to Sania’s earlier engagement to break.

Sources said that the mother of Shoaib Malik went to Indian city of Hyderabad Deccan where she met with the family of Sania Mirza and finalized Shoaib and Sania’s marriage.

This may be recalled that earlier engagements of both Malik and Mirza had come to an end.

Malik was engaged with Ayesha Siddiqui also from Hyderabad Deccan on June 3, 2002 while Sania on the other side was engaged with Sohrab Khan which she ended recently.

The wedding ceremony of Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza will take place in April while the valima reception will be hosted by Malik on April 16 or 17 in Lahore.