April 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1429

HYDERABAD, April 29: A newly married couple has appealed to the authorities to provide them protection as their lives were in grave danger at the hands of relatives of the bride.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Tuesday, Ms Gul Bano and her husband Ahmed Khan Mallah, residents of Bhittai town Qasimabad, said that they had married of their own free will on April 2, and their marriage certificate was duly registered.

Gul Bano said that four years ago she was engaged to Ahmed but later her father Moham-mad Raheem wanted to marry her to an old man of 60 years for money.

She said she refused to marry the old man and of her own free will married her fiancé, Ahmed Khan Mallah, after completing all legal formalities and was quite happy with him.

She said she was sui juris (a free person) and had every right to marry a person of her own choice according to law and religion.

She, however, said that they were being threatened by their relatives and appealed to the authorities to provide them protection.