A Pakistani man who fell in love with an Indian woman over the internet five years ago and moved to her country to be with her will soon be deported by New Delhi for overstaying his tourist visa, Hindustan Times reported on Wednesday.

Akbar Durani and Sofia's love story began when the two started interacting with each other over social media in 2011. The two grew fond of each other through their contact over Facebook and Skype.

31-year-old Durani, a resident of Hyderabad, and Sofia, a resident of Dewas in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, got married in her city in 2013. A year later, their son Ariz was born.

Speaking to Indian media, Durani said his attraction for Sofia compelled him to travel to India.

"I along with my mother obtained a visa and went to Dewas. I met Sofia's parents who immediately agreed to my marriage proposal with a condition that I will settle down in India after marriage," he said.

Durani, who holds a master's degree in economics, began teaching at a school in Madhya Pradesh.

As he was living on a tourist visa in the country, Durani said he approached India's Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to apply for a Long-Term Visa, where he was asked to submit a relevant application.

"I approached the FRRO office for a 'Long-Term Visa' two months before the expiry of my [current] visa, citing my marriage with an Indian woman. But to no avail," a disheartened Durani said.

"On the day the duration of my visa ended, I visited the FRRO office to inquire about my visa status. There, I was arrested on charges of overstaying in India and was sent to prison," he said.

Durani was sentenced to a year in prison in August 2015 for violating visa norms and overstaying in India.

"On Aug 8, 2016, I was released from the prison and was lodged in a police station for want of travel documents to be issued by Pakistan High Commission," the Pakistani national said, adding it took the commission over six months to confirm his antecedents.

Durani's ordeal, however, does not end here. He may not be able to reunite with his wife and two-year-old son, he said.

"My wife and kid are not allowed to travel with me to Pakistan. It would be tough for my wife and son to stay in India in my absence," Durrani added.

"They are in Amritsar to bid me good bye. The worst part is that I may not get visa again to visit India as visa norms were violated on my part," he said.

He is also not sure if the Pakistani High Commission would issue a visa to Sofia and Ariz to visit him in Pakistan.

"I never thought that I would be forced to separate from my family after settling down in India. It is a tsunami in my life," he said.

Opinion

Editorial

By-election trends
Updated 23 Apr, 2024

By-election trends

Unless the culture of violence and rigging is rooted out, the credibility of the electoral process in Pakistan will continue to remain under a cloud.
Privatising PIA
23 Apr, 2024

Privatising PIA

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s reaffirmation that the process of disinvestment of the loss-making national...
Suffering in captivity
23 Apr, 2024

Suffering in captivity

YET another animal — a lioness — is critically ill at the Karachi Zoo. The feline, emaciated and barely able to...
Not without reform
Updated 22 Apr, 2024

Not without reform

The problem with us is that our ruling elite is still trying to find a way around the tough reforms that will hit their privileges.
Raisi’s visit
22 Apr, 2024

Raisi’s visit

IRANIAN President Ebrahim Raisi, who begins his three-day trip to Pakistan today, will be visiting the country ...
Janus-faced
22 Apr, 2024

Janus-faced

THE US has done it again. While officially insisting it is committed to a peaceful resolution to the...