Sheikha Mohammad Hamoud Alhamdi, a 21-year-old from UAE, who has married a local of Karak and considers Pakistanis loving and caring, is learning Pashto to share Arabic folktales and stories with her in-laws.
“I would love to settle in Karak with my husband and all of his family as I found the locals very loving and caring,” Ms Alhamdi, wife of Juma Raz Khan, told The News. The lady said she is learning local language to communicate with her in-laws and those who are frequently visiting their house to see and meet her.
“Its amazing. I was not expecting such love,” a delighted Sheikha said in broken English. She is sad over her separation from mother, brothers and sisters but at the same time happy to have Juma Raz as her life partner. “I am in touch with my sister. We have talked on telephone since I have left UAE,” Juma Raz translated her words in Pashto.more
A brother of the woman has also spoken to the family. He is not unhappy with the decision of his sister. “Only Abdullah and Sawab are against the decision. The rest of the family is quite happy,” Juma Raz told this correspondent. He added that all his four brothers and two cousins knew about his wife since they were serving in UAE. “We have no problem in communication but our females are facing some difficulty,” he said.
“My wife considers Pakhtoons nice and friendly people. She is thankful for the respect and love she has been given. She admits that if a woman had married an Arab in such a way she would have been kicked out of their house by her in-laws,” Juma Raz continued adding, “She is very happy after gaining such extraordinary media coverage”.
The young man is looking to admit his wife in any local institution so she could continue her studies. “I would do that once the issue of her citizenship is settled,” he remarked.
Ms Alhamdi is hopeful she would get a Pakistani citizenship like two Indian girls before her, a few months ago. “I am hopeful the courts will do justice in my case also,” she said. The woman said she was not facing any problem in Karak, a backward southern district of NWFP, as it was just like her own village in UAE. “I would permanently settle in Karak, and not in Peshawar or Islamabad,” said Ms Alhamdi.
The lady and her spouse are on a ten-day bail after the local police had registered an FIR against Juma Raz and his family for keeping a foreigner in illegal custody. Two members of the family were arrested on April 13 in Peshawar. However, Juma Raz and his wife escaped arrest and deportation of the woman and got bail before arrest from the court.
It may be mentioned here that the ‘Khattak Ittihad’ is also supporting plea of the woman for granting her citizenship on the basis of marrying a local man. A former president of the Ittehad has asked the government to grant Ms Alhamdi Pakistani nationality so she could live a peaceful life with her spouse.
The woman, who had done Inter from a college in Alfujairah and was studying in third year, landed at Peshawar Airport on April 7 and married Juma Raz on the same day. Both had developed understanding when Juma Raz was serving in UAE and used to drive her to college. However, Juma Raz, returned after the family of the woman rejected his proposal.
