PESHAWAR, April 26: A large number of people of Karak district, in two public meetings on Tuesday, extended support to an Arab woman and her Pakistani husband and warned of staging a long march if her visa was cancelled by the government.

The participants of the meetings believed that the federal government had decided to cancel the three-month visa granted to Sheikha Mohammad Hamoud Alhamdi and deport her to her country.

Witnesses told Dawn that one of the meetings was held at the Hujra (guest house) of Haji Gul Nawaz in Karak and attended by more than 300 people including MNA Shah Abdul Aziz and MPA Mian Nisar.

The meeting decided to stage a long march from Karak to Peshawar if the government cancelled the visa of Ms Sheikha. They hoped sympathizers of the couple would join the march in Kohat, Lachi and Dara Adamkhel.

The speakers regretted that instead of providing security to the woman, the government had been harassing her and her in-laws.

They said the religion and law of Pakistan permitted the marriage and separating the couple would be an injustice.

The second meeting was held under the aegis of the Khatak Ittehad at Town Hall in Karak and presided over by chairman of the organization Hidayatullah Khan.