Married Indian woman Anju who went to Pak to meet Facebook friend set to come back, friend says 'no plans to marry'

A 34-year-old married Indian woman, Anju, who travelled legally to a remote village in Pakistan to meet her Facebook friend, Nasrulla, is set to return to India on August 20, as her visa expires, reported PTI.

Nasrulla, aged 29, on Monday dismissed any notion of a love angle between them and said that they are just friends. The two had connected on Facebook back in 2019.

Anju, who hails from Kailor village in Uttar Pradesh and resides in Alwar district, Rajasthan, obtained a valid Pakistani visa to visit Nasrulla in Upper Dir district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Ministry of Interior had granted a 30-day visa to Anju, specifically for Upper Dir.

Nasrulla, a science graduate, clarified that Anju is staying in a separate room at his home, alongside other female members of his family. He further confirmed that they have no intention of getting married and that Anju will return to India as planned.

“Anju is on a visit to Pakistan and we have no plan to marry. She will go back to her country on August 20 after her visa expires,” said Nasrulla while talking to PTI on phone from village Kulsho. 

The district administration has provided them with adequate security, and Anju's safety is ensured during her stay in Pakistan. An affidavit has been submitted to the local authorities, affirming that their friendship is purely platonic, and Anju will adhere to her visa conditions, remaining within the Upper Dir district.

“She will definitely go back on August 20 as per her visa documents,” said District Police officer Mushtaq. He also interviewed Anju in his office on Sunday and checked her travel documents on the basis of which a no-objection certificate was issued to her.

Anju's husband, Arvind, back in Rajasthan, is hoping for her safe return. They have a 15-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son.

The villagers, majority of Pashtuns who are religious people, also want Anju to return safely to India as they do not want any bad name for their community due to this incident.

This incident has garnered attention as it bears similarities to the case of Seema Ghulam Haider, a Pakistani woman who had illegally entered India to live with a Hindu man she met while playing PUBG in 2019. Anju's case, however, differs as she travelled to Pakistan legally via the Wagah-Attari border.

Anju's husband said that she had left home on the pretext of going to Jaipur and only later did they discover her presence in Pakistan. He mentioned that she possessed a valid passport, which had been issued in 2020 as she was considering applying for a job abroad. Arvind expressed hope that Anju would return and said he was unaware of her social media connections. The family did not file a complaint upon learning of her travel to Pakistan.

(Inputs from PTI)

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