Former federal minister and a leading Pakistani human rights activists Ansar Burney has termed the controversy surrounding cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza as an issue of ‘human dignity’ and ‘women rights’, and said he would soon be visiting India to ‘dig out’ the truth.
Burney said he decided to visit India after receiving a phone call from Ayesha Siddiqui’s mother requesting him to help the family and investigate the truth.
Burney said the marriage of Shoaib with Sania is their personal matter and he has nothing to do with it, but Ayesha’s claim has created serious doubts of alleged cheating and fraud.
“If the claim of Ayesha Siddiqui is correct then the Ansar Burney Trust will ask Shoaib Malik to accept his earlier marriage and say sorry to Ayesha, and if her claims are not proved she will have to say sorry,” The News quoted Burney, as saying.
Burney said he has already approached the Indian High Commission in Islamabad to issue him visa for India urgently, so that he could visit India to sort out issues between the Siddiquis’ and the Maliks’.
Earlier, Shoaib’s brother-in-law Imran Zafar arrived in New Delhi to seek legal action against the Siddiquis’, who have lodged a complaint against the all rounder.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Government has stepped in and is keeping a watchful eye on the Sania-Shoaib-Ayesha muddle.
Pakistan has reportedly sent a diplomatic note to India, and requested for returning Malik’s passport as soon as possible.
Shoaib’s passport was seized by the Hyderabad police after Ayesha had lodged a police complaint with the Hyderabad Police against Shoaib under sections 498 A (harassment), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
The Siddiquis’ claim that Malik married their daughter Ayesha in 2002, but has not divorced her till date.