The Indian woman, who took refuge in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad last week, gave a statement before Pakistani magistrate that she was forced into marriage by a Pakistan national and wanted to return India.
Twenty-year-old Uzma, who hails from New Delhi, had met Tahir Khan in Malaysia where they reportedly fell in love and decided to get married. Uzma later travelled to Pakistan and got married to Tahir. However, she later came to know that Tahir was already a married man with four children. Since Uzma was on a visit visa to Pakistan, she had to obtain a different visa for her stay in that country or which Tahir took her to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Friday. After reaching the Indian HC, Uzma refused to step out and insisted being sent back to India immediately.
“The young Indian woman, who had sought shelter in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on May 5, 2017, recorded her statement in the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class in Islamabad on Monday as per local legal requirement,” said Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay on Monday.
In her statement, she said that she was sedated, assaulted, tortured mentally and physically in Pakistan by Tahir. Tahir invited her to visit his family in Pakistan and provided the requisite sponsorship letter to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for her visa. She also stated that he also made her sign Nikah Namah at gunpoint. In her statement before magistrate, Uzma pleaded to be sent back to India immediately under security.
“The woman stated that she had taken shelter in High Commission of India of her own accord and would stay there till she is sent back to India with security. High Commission of India has provided her necessary consular and legal assistance. It is coordinating with Pakistan Foreign Office for the safe return of the woman to India and is also in touch with her family in India on the matter. Her brother met the External Affairs Minister and requested the Government’s help to rescue his sister at the earliest,” Baglay added.
Pakistan Foreign Office had on Sunday acknowledged that the Indian High Commission had informed them about Uzma’s case and that her wish for repatriation to India.