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Journalism of Courage
Ahmedabad, Jan 5: Even when the relations between India and Pakistan remain sour and the two countries view each other with suspicion, there is no let-up in marriages between the citizens of the two countries. Those married across the border say that they feel comfortable and are not affected by the relations between the two nations.
With Ahmedabad having a large concentration of residents who have relatives in Pakistan, over 300 such cross-border marriages took place during the last year alone, according to the record with the Special Branch of Ahmedabad City Police.
Her mother-in-law Abeda Begum also does not find any problem in having a acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;foreigner bahuacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;. Her second son is getting married to a local girl later this month. acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;What could be better than having one daughter-in-law from Pakistan and another from India?acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; Abeda asked.Most of the matches are arranged through the network of relatives in the two countries. Sources in the Special Branch say over one-third of visitors from Pakistan come to India in connection with marriages. But more Pakistani girls are marrying Indian boys than vice-versa.
Those intending to get married here come on a monthacirc;euro;trade;s visa and, after production of documents related to marriage, they are granted a one-year visa. Subsequently, they get citizenship unless the Special Branch raises any objection.
However, the girls married here have to report to the Special Branch once every month.
Additional Police Commissioner Special Branch Promode Kumar, who is responsible for registration of Pakistani visitors, believes that acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;the cross-border marriages help generate cordialityacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;. Kumar said that most of the visitors acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;come here from Karachi and Baluchistan, very few come from other provinces. Most of the brides come from Karachiacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;.
Fateh Khan of Kalupur, father of Nassembanu who got married to Yousuf of Karachi last year, said, acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;When I arranged for my daughteracirc;euro;trade;s marriage in Pakistan, most of my relatives and neighbours advised me to get her married locally. But my daughter is happy.acirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade; His son-in-law Yousuf, who recently visited Diu said, acirc;euro;tilde;acirc;euro;tilde;It was great visiting India; we had heard a lot about this country in Karachi. And believe me, I never found any hostility hereacirc;euro;trade;acirc;euro;trade;.
