A Pakistani woman on Tuesday crossed over to India from the Wagah-Attari International Border to marry a Kolkata resident with whom her marriage has been fixed in January next year.
Karachi resident Javeria Khanum crossed over into the Indian side from Attari in Amritsar district where she was welcomed by her fiance Sameer Khan and some members of his family to the beats of 'dhol'.
Khanum has been granted a 45-day visa after two previous visa rejections and the Covid pandemic stalled their plans for around five years.
The couple, in a brief interaction with reporters at Attari, said the marriage will be solemnised in January next year.
"I have been granted a 45-day visa. I am very happy to be here. Just on arrival, I am already getting so much love here. In the first week of January the marriage will be solemnised," she said.
She had tried to get a visa on two occasions, but got lucky the third time.
"It is a happy ending and a happy beginning," she said, expressing her happiness at being able to travel to India to get married.
"Everyone back home was very happy. I can't believe I have got the visa after five years," she added.
Sharing how the couple got in touch, Khan said he expressed interest in marrying Khanum after seeing her photo on his mother's phone.
"This started in May 2018. I had come home from Germany where I was studying. I saw her photo on my mother's phone and expressed my interest. I told my mother that I want to get married to Javeria," he said.
Earlier, the visa was rejected twice and in between there was the Covid pandemic, Khan said, adding that he was thankful to the Indian Government for the visa.
"My mother is very happy now that we will be getting married in January next year," he said.
Khan said his friends from his time in Germany -- from Africa, Spain, the United States and other countries -- are likely to attend his wedding.
The couple then left to catch a flight from Amritsar to Kolkata.
