KARACHI: Social worker Ramzan Chhipa on Friday requested a young man to visit an American woman claiming to be his wife, in efforts to resolve a matter that has created quite a buzz on social media, Dawn.com reported.

It said Onijah Robinson, a 33-year-old American citizen, arrived in Karachi in October to meet Nidal Ahmed Memon, 19, who later abandoned her, saying his family did not agree to their marriage. His whereabouts are currently unknown.

Robinson befriended Memon online and allegedly left her family in the United States to be with him. The entire situation was brought to the public’s notice after JDC founder Zafar Abbas posted about it on social media. Subsequently, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori intervened to extend her expired visa and arrange a flight home.

However, Robinson refused to return home, took a taxi to Memon’s apartment building and stayed in its parking lot for nearly 30 hours on Thursday before leaving for a Chhipa charity shelter, where she is expected to remain until her return to the US.

In a press conference on Friday, Mr Chhipa urged Memon to come to his charity’s headquarters to meet with the woman and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

“She left her home and family because of the boy, so if the family or the boy are listening, please come immediately and I will help you resolve this issue. Ask for forgiveness, regardless of the matter. You can only resolve things by talking to her,” he said.

He said that her mental state was fragile and that she kept saying different things every five minutes, and repeatedly insisted on meeting her “husband”.

It is unclear if Robinson and Memon are actually married.

When a reporter asked what her plan was, she retorted, “It’s none of your business.”

“My plan is to reconstruct this whole country. I am asking for $100k, [and] I need $20k by this week in my pocket in cash. That’s a demand to this government. The government is going to fix up these streets […] It’s ridiculous out here. I do not like it. I need you guys to understand that Pakistan is in need of new buses, cabs, cars. Please listen to what I’m saying, my name is Onijah Ahmed.”

Robinson’s videos have made rounds on social media with many questioning her mental state.

Earlier this week, she staged a sit-in outside Memon’s apartment building, prompting the administration to lock the flat’s doors.

Published in Dawn, February 1st, 2025