ISLAMABAD, June 8: A German girl alleged here on Wednesday that she was facing threats from her family and police after marrying a Pakistani boy she had met through the Internet. Nadia Sami, 18, told reporters at a press conference that she had been living with her Pakistani father in Gujrat for four years when she developed contacts with Mohammad Shahzad Khan of Lahore and wanted to marry him.

But her father and uncle opposed the proposal because they planned to marry her to a cousin.

As a result, she fled to Lahore to marry the man. However, she alleged, her father bribed the Gujrat police and got arrested her husband’s brother, Mohammad Ijaz, who had arranged their Nikkah on June 2.

Shahnaz Bukhari, the chairperson of the Progressive Women’s Association, who introduced the couple to the press, said the two were so frightened by the threats that they took refuge with her.

She said the German embassy had offered protection to the couple but the lives of Mr Khan’s family would remain in danger if the couple left the country.

She said the couple could not go to the police for the fear that they would arrest Shahzad on charge of kidnapping and hand over Nadia to her family where she could also be killed.

To a question, Shahzad Khan said he had pleaded with Nadia’s father and brother to allow them an arranged marriage, but to no avail.

“It is the responsibility of the state now to provide protection to us and my family,” he said.