Islamabad: Most Pakistanis think
cross-border marriages may be the perfect way to bridge the
great divide between their country and India, but they are not
giving the Sania Mirza-Shoaib Malik wedding much of a chance.
"I think Sania Mirza is too good for Shoaib Malik.
It's a bad bargain," Ayesha Ansari (name changed), the retired
headmistress of an elite school in Pakistan, said.
Ansari claimed she isn't the only one who thinks like
that.
"A lot of Pakistanis I know feel this marriage will
not work. It's a tough one," she said.
However, Ansari is all for Indo-Pakistan marriages.
"Such marriages are a good thing. Good for both
countries. They explode myths, remove phobias and bring people
together."
For most Pakistanis, marriage by itself is a tricky
proposition and the Indo-Pakistan situation compounds issues
further.
"Mutual attraction, marriage is a good thing. But what
happens if the marriage does not last?" asked Sadia Khan, an
IT professional.
Ansari herself crossed the border from India many
years ago to marry a Pakistani.
Unfortunately her marriage did not last long.
Neither did the marriage of her daughter, who decided
to settle down with an Indian.
Though Ansari was allowed to live in India on a
special visa for several years, she had to eventually return
to Pakistan and live the rest of her life as a Pakistani.
"Such marriages are not wrong. The political situation
is. Why can't they offer dual citizenship to people who decide
to marry on either side?" Ansari suggested.
"A lot of my Pakistani students are from broken homes.
So it's not that the problem is with Indo-Pakistan marriages
alone. Marriages are tricky everywhere," she said.
The "third country solution" in Sania and Shoaib's
case the decision to live in Dubai after the wedding also
does not work, according to Ansari.
"You are away from your respective families. I am not
sure if that works," she said.
Under the circumstances, several Pakistanis believe
Sania's marriage stands little chance.
The controversy over Shoai's reported marriage to
Ayesha Siddiqui too has complicated the situation, Ansari
said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, April 04, 2010, 16:50