Whether Uzma Ahmed’s story is true or a farrago of a distortion of facts, misrepresentation and outright lies (Hail Shashi Tharoor ji), still remains a mystery. While she has her own version of the story, the videos shown in the Pakistan media of her nikkah prove otherwise. Besides, there are lot of questions and missing links. However, out of all the things, the one that is bothering me the most is her attitude towards Pakistan as a nation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaY-RpRZJkM&feature=youtu.be
Interestingly, even when the Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj thanked Pakistan for the safe return of Uzma despite the troubled bilateral political relations between the two countries, Uzma, in a press conference addressed the same country as a “well of death”.
Well of death? Even though the truth is that Uzma could not cross the Wagah border to go back to India without the support and cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan? How about the Pakistani judiciary and diplomats who helped her thorough out the entire process?
In fact, without the aid of the Pakistani establishment, it would have not been possible for her to return to India at all. And here, despite knowing these facts, Uzma is calling Pakistan a death trap?
Well of death? Even when Barrister Shahnawaz Noon argued her case almost like a father figure? Sushma Swaraj lauded Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani for his verdict on humanitarian grounds, but Uzma, in her press release, had nothing to appreciate about the Pakistanis who helped her.
How very thankless!
Well, Uzma, you might have gone through all your alleged tribulations, but labelling a nation on the basis of one person without acknowledging the help of several others, somehow makes me question you, even if I want to believe your story. Besides, calling Pakistan a death trap on the basis of one Tahir Ali, is like calling all Muslims terrorists.
Talking about questions, lets look at the following ones that come to mind.
What about Uzma’s WhatsApp message to Tahir?
Throughout, Uzma has mentioned how Tahir is a mean guy who lied to her. She even maintained her statement that she had no clue that he was already married and had four children. However, this Whatsaap message sent by her to Tahir narrates a different story altogether.
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Here, she is not only requesting him to keep mum about his previous marriage in front of her brother, but is also telling him to lie about his education to her brother. Photo: Screenshot[/caption]
Here, she is not only requesting him to keep mum about his previous marriage in front of her brother, but is also telling him to lie about his education to her brother.
Visa details that state Uzma’s destination as Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)
In the press conference, Uzma mentioned Google searching Buner and how one can see it was occupied by the Taliban in 2008-10. She also mentioned how military operations occurred regularly in Buner. She talks about all the worst things related to Buner.
However, one thing that surprises me and several others is that her visa details clearly state her destination as Buner, K-P. Logically, if she can tell us to Google search the place she visited, being a literate (oh, she is a doctor by the way), I am sure she must have Googled the place she was visiting beforehand. In such a case, the history of geography shouldn’t have surprised her.
Moreover, foreign nationals visiting Pakistan cannot get visas for K-P unless and until the sponsor gives a guarantee. In this case, Tahir’s father became her guarantor. A quick Google search (as advised by Uzma) tells me that any area that Pakistan feels is unsafe, needs such provisions.
This further indicates that Uzma was well aware about the situation there. I am sure if she can tell us to Google search this particular place, she would have herself searched the place before leaving for it. However, in her statement, she expressed that going to Pakistan is easy, the visa process is easy, but coming back is not. Oh well!
Despite being aware of everything, she still visited Pakistan. For a moment, let’s believe that love is blind, but then why oh why would you label the entire country as a ‘death trap’, despite being warned through the country’s visa documents?
Lastly, you’ll see Uzma thanking even the office boys of the Indian High Commission, let alone thanking the firebrand External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj time and again, but not even once in the entire press conference did she thank the Pakistani lawyer and Justice Kayani who played an extremely pivotal role in her return to India.
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Photo: Screenshot[/caption]
Don’t all these things sound fishy? Nevertheless, the Intelligence Bureau should keep this daughter of India under special watch until all these questions are answered.
There is more than what meets the eyes in this story. Aha, this reminds me of Republic TV. Mr Arnab Goswami, how about diverting your slight attention from Mr Tharoor in order to find out about this mystery called Uzma that both India and Pakistan are keen to know about?
This post originally appeared here.