American woman Onijah Robinson bids Pakistan adieu, boards plane for New York: police

Published February 7, 2025
US citizen Onijah Robinson speaks to reporters in Karachi on January 30. — DawnNewsTV
US citizen Onijah Robinson speaks to reporters in Karachi on January 30. — DawnNewsTV

US citizen Onijah Andrew Robinson finally left Pakistan on Friday and boarded a flight to New York City, according to the police, bringing an end to her over three-month stay in the country.

Robinson, 33, arrived in Karachi on October 11 last year to marry Nidal Ahmed Memon, 19, whom she met online. Memon later abandoned her, citing family objections, and is now untraceable, according to Arab News. Refusing to return home, she spent nearly 30 hours outside his apartment before moving to a Chhipa shelter and later being admitted to the psychiatric ward at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

“She left for the airport from JPMC,” South Deputy Inspector General of Police Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com. He added that she was provided her ticket by the US government that listed her transit flight’s departure to Dubai for 10:40pm. She was taken to the hospital on Saturday.

Her case gained attention after Jafriya Disaster Management Cell Welfare Organisation founder Zaffar Abbas highlighted it on social media. Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori later intervened to extend her expired visa and arrange her return to the US. However, she had refused to cooperate.

The Karachi police had subsequently decided to approach the federal government through the Sindh government to deport her. A letter was written to the Karachi police chief to approach the Sindh government to seek guidance from the federal government in this connection.

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