Shoaib Malik having fun in India

KOLKATA: The imam of Tipu Sultan Masjid on Tuesday issued a fatwa against Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik for allegedly dumping Ayesha Siddiqui.

Addressing a press conference, Imam Nuroor Rahman Barkati called for social boycott of Malik, both in India and Pakistan. The community leaders have rallied behind Ayesha who’s in the midst of a marriage controversy. The clerics have clarified that they have nothing against Sania Mirza, but were angry with Shoaib Malik.

“I will appeal to the civil society in both the countries to boycott Malik. There is no reason why he should dump Ayesha Siddiqui,” Imam Barkati said.

The Imam said the nikahnama was a sufficient evidence of a marriage. “Under Islamic law, a nikahnama can be issued only after the nikah has taken place. Since Ayesha has produced the nikahnama, the nikah must have happened,” the Imam said. He clarified that on her part, Sania Mirza hadn’t done anything wrong. “It is her choice if she wants to marry him. Shoaib too can marry Sania, but not by mistreating Ayesha. He must accept that she is his first wife,” said the imam.

When told that Ayesha Siddiqui wanted a divorce, the imam contended that she was acting under pressure. “She is the victim of a vicious propaganda. She is saying all these because of the agony and the pain that has been inflicted on her,” the imam added. He said that under Islamic law, Malik could marry again without divorcing Ayesha.

“Shoaib is making strange statements. First he denied that he was married. Then he admitted it, but said he hadn’t met her. He said that the marriage was held over the phone,” Imam Barkati said. The imam claimed that the marriage, even if held over the phone, was valid.

The All Bengal Muslim Marriage Registrar and Quazi society has demanded an apology from Malik. “Whatever is happening on this issue is wrong. Ayesha is being victimised,” said Shahabuddin Mollah, a functionary of the society.

While Shoaib Malik’s brother-in-law Imran Zafar Malik reiterated Tuesday that no nikah had ever happened between Pakistani cricketer and Indian girl Ayesha Siddiqi.

He was speaking to a battery of media persons along with Shoaib’s counsel Ramesh Gupta after arriving in New Delhi.

The legal procedures of the alleged ‘nikah’ were not carried out, he said, adding that how could it be done without the identification of the girl.

Malik said nobody else had the ‘nikahnama’ except Siddiqi family while it was also not registered in Pakistan.

To a question, he said that he had twice visited Indian city of Hyderabad Deccan, where Ayesha had introduced herself as Maha.

She told me that Ayesha had to leave for Saudi Arabia on a sudden visit. Had I met the girl at that time, this situation could have been prevented, he remarked.

Answering a question, he said: “We have confidence in Indian law.”

Speaking on this occasion, Shoaib counsel Ramesh Gupta ruled out the possibility of arrest of Pakistani cricketer.

Shoaib Malik having fun in India