Shoaib In Hyderabad; No Change In Marriage Venue: Sania's Friend
Ending a day of wild speculation when Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on saturday made a surprise visit to his bride-to-be Sania Mirza's home here, the tennis star's family tonight indicated that the marriage will take
Ending a day of wild speculation when Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on saturday made a surprise visit to his bride-to-be Sania Mirza's home here, the tennis star's family tonight indicated that the marriage will take place in Hyderabad as scheduled and not be shifted to Dubai.
Anil Kumar Yadav, a friend of Sania, told reporters outside her residence in Hyderabad that preparations for the marriage were on and there was no change of venue for the event.
"Shoaib came here last night. Khushi ka mahol hain Sania ke ghar pe. Preparations for the marriage are on as per schedule. There is no change (in wedding venue)," Anil, the son of Anjan Kumar Yadav, a Congress Member of Parliament from Secunderabd, said.
Anil's remarks sought to end speculation sparked by Pakistani TV channels that venue of the wedding could be shifted to Dubai following a threat by Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be Shoaib's wife, of legal action.
Ayesha today told Geo News channel she had two witnesses to prove that she and the former Pakistan cricket captain had shared a room at a hotel in Hyderabad on two occasions after their alleged wedding in 2002.
Ayesha Siddiqui, whose claim has raised a drama surrounding the much-anticipated wedding between Shoaib and Sania, said two members of the staff of the Taj Residency, earlier known as Holiday Inn, had agreed to testify that they had served her and Shoaib during their stay in the hotel. "If you are asking if we lived together - yes, we did stay together and it is unfortunate that we also have to prove this but we have witnesses," Ayesha said.
Two members of the hotel's staff who had provided her and Shoaib room service and served them breakfast had agreed to testify, Ayesha said. She refused to name the two persons, saying their names were being kept secret as they may have to testify in court proceedings. Ayesha said she had stayed with Shoaib in the hotel on two occasions, including once in 2004. She also said Shoaib would never "dare" to do anything against her till his father was alive.
"Shoaib's father was a very good human being and he would always back me when he was alive," she said.
"After he died, things changed and Shoaib became very bitter. (Shoaib) used to say he didn't know why he was stuck with me and he would complain about my looks and weight," Ayesha said.
The former Pakistan captain reached Hyderabad late last night and was today seen at Sania's residence in a trouser and T-shirt though it was not immediately known what prompted his surprise trip to India.
Malik who is slated to marry Sania on April 15, appeared on the balcony of the tennis star's house and was seen talking on his mobile phone while Sania and her mother were also involved in an animated discussion with each other.
His visit to Hyderabad assumes significance in the context of a late night threat by Ayesha's parents that they would file an FIR against him if he went ahead with the marriage without divorcing their daughter. The Pakistani media was abuzz with reports that the marriage could be shifted to Dubai to avoid any problems from Ayesha's family. 'Geo TV' quoted sources in Shoaib's family as saying that the marriage would be shifted to Dubai because the cricketer's family is not keen on coming to India.
The channel also reported that Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray's criticism of Sania's decision to marry Shoaib has scared the Malik family.
Adding to the couple's woes is Ayesha's legal notice to Shoaib for allegedly marrying her over phone and dumping her without taking a formal divorce. PTI
More:
Sania-Shoaib Wedding On April 11 In Hyderabad, Reception in Lahore
Shoaib May Face Lawsuit Before Marriage To Sania
India Rules Out Sania Playing For Pakistan