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The ‘groom’ checks in 
Shoaib springs a surprise on Sania, comes calling at her house
Suresh Dharur
Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, April 3
Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik has quietly flown in here and spent the day at his heartthrob and Tennis star Sania Mirza’s house, discussing their wedding plans.The surprise visit came in the midst of a raging dispute over Shoaib’s alleged first marriage with Hyderabadi girl Ayesha Siddiqui way back in 2002. The Siddiquis have slapped a legal notice on the former Pakistani captain for cheating, defamation and harassment.

Though the visit was kept under wraps, local television channels got the wind of it and made a beeline for the Tennis star’s residence. The footage in the local channels showed the star couple standing on the balcony with mobile phones in their hands and engaged in animated discussion.

Shoaib arrived here last night from Dubai and drove to Sania’s residence in the posh Jubilee Hills area. “The two families discussed about the arrangements for the marriage scheduled to be held here on April 15,” sources close to Sania’s family said.

The fairytale, cross-border romance between the two sporting icons hit a roadblock with Ayesha’s family accusing Shoaib of cheating their daughter and demanding a public divorce. They released copies of Nikahnama (marriage certificate), claiming to be a proof of the marriage performed on June 3, 2002.

After exchanging marriage vows over phone, Shoaib betrayed Ayesha and walked out of her life, they alleged. The Pakistani cricketer’s family, however, rubbished the charge and made a counter-allegation that Ayesha’s family had cheated him.Meanwhile, Sania defended her prospective groom saying that she and her family have known the truth all along.

Without mentioning his name directly, she posted a comment on her twitter page, saying “Me and my family know what the truth is, we have known it all along and we have confidence in God's justice". The media reports from Pakistan earlier suggested that the marriage venue could be shifted to Dubai as Shoaib’s family was scared of travelling to Hyderabad in view of the political protests against the wedding.

However, sources close to Sania’s family made it clear that the marriage would take place in the city as per the original schedule. The bride and her family members will then travel to Pakistan for a reception to be hosted by Shoaib. 

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Sena U-turn: Uddhav says not against Sania’s marriage

Mumbai, April 3
The Shiv Sena has changed its stand on tennis star Sania Mirza's forthcoming marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. One day after Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray demanded that she be no longer allowed to play for India, his son Uddhav softened his stand.

"Our stand on Sania's marriage has been published in Saamna yesterday. Beyond that we have no problems with her wedding. It is her personal matter," Uddhav told reporters today.

The younger Thackeray further added that like everyone else Sania had a right to choose her own life partner. To questions by reporters, Thackeray said the party did not have any objections to her marriage. — TNS

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Pak traders cancel orders for ‘Shoania’ T-shirts 

Islamabad, April 3
Pakistani traders have cancelled orders for the import of five lakh T-shirts with portraits of cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza because of fears that their wedding may be delayed, a leading businessman said today.Karachi Traders Action Committee chairman Siddique Memon said orders placed with T-shirts manufacturers in China and Thailand had been cancelled due to fears that the high-profile wedding could be delayed by legal tangles between Malik and Ayesha Siddiqui, claims to be his wife.

Memon said traders were unwilling to take the risk of importing the T-shirts because of the claims made by Ayesha and the prospects of a legal battle between her family and Malik. Ayesha’s parents have threatened to file an FIR with the police if Shoaib went ahead with the marriage to Sania without divorcing their daughter. The T-shirts were earlier expected to be available in Karachi by mid-April.

The orders for the T-shirts were placed on an emergency basis after retailers contacted wholesalers for the supply of the garments. — PTI 

 

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