Shoaib Malik to wed Sania Mirza

HYDERABAD: They say it ain’t over until the fat lady sings. On Wednesday, Ayesha Siddiqui, former Pakistani cricket captain Shoaib Malik’s mystery wife, must have been singing rather happily, closeted behind the high gates of her Banjara Hills bungalow.

Times of India said Ayesha, 29, who has chosen to remain out of sight throughout this controversy, citing obesity as an inhibiting factor, will get a formal divorce and Rs 15 crore from her ‘husband’, bringing to an end the weeklong soap opera that had gripped the Subcontinent.

Like that extra laddoo after a plentiful feast, the Shoaib-Sania’s April 15 wedding now has the air of needless indulgence. The nation has already had its fill.

Following late night negotiations spearheaded by several Muslim leaders from the Congress, including cricketer-cum-Member of Parliament Mohammad Azharuddin, Andhra Pradesh Minorities Welfare Minister Mohammed Ahmadullah and Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Abid Rasool Khan, the matter was resolved and Ayesha’s family will withdraw all cases against Shoaib lodged with Hyderabad police. Officially, Ayesha will get Rs 5,000 as mehr for three months during the Iddat period as her alimony according to the Shariat law. The Siddiqui family emphatically denies any additional money changing hands but sources close to the family have told TOI that Shoaib has agreed to pay Rs 12 crore directly to Ayesha and her family and another Rs 3 crore towards sundry ‘costs.’ A group of five community elders have taken the responsibility of coordinating the management, it is believed. Ayesha has to reciprocate by withdrawing the police case against Malik.

He has been booked under sections 498A (harassment), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation). One of those involved in the exercise said: “Shoaib was reluctant to sign the papers. But we all convinced him that as per the nikaahnama, he had married a girl, and he should divorce her keeping this in mind.” Malik took the risk only after consulting Sania and her father Imran Mirza.

Community leader Major Qadri, who announced the ‘amicable and respectful settlement’ between Malik and Ayesha to the media, said, “To be on the safe side, we mentioned her name on divorce papers as ‘Ayesha alias Maha Siddiqui’.”
Ayesha’s mother Farisa Siddiqui, who represented the family at the media announcement at Khan’s Banjara Hills residence said: “Justice has been done. We are happy now. Ayesha is relieved and happy. I have no comments to make on Shoaib’s claims all these days.”

Meanwhile, in his first comment, Shoaib Malik said divorcing Ayesha Siddiqui was the most “amicable” thing to do in a situation that was “beyond reasoning”.

Shoaib said, “I would like to firstly thank Allah almighty and all of you in the media and the entire nation of Pakistan for supporting me and giving me the strength to face all what has been witnessed.”