tennis star Sania Mirza sought to re-schedule their marriage

In yet another twist to their controversial wedding build-up, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik sought to re-schedule their marriage to this evening but were forced to push it back to the original date of April 15 due to legal hassles.

According to Imraan Mirza, father of Sania Mirza, the nikaah ceremony will begin from 13 April and a gala reception will be held on 15 April.

However, the marriage, which was confirmed by the Quazi Azmatullah Jaffri of Dar-Ul-Qazzat earlier in the day, could not be performed as Shoaib reportedly could not submit necessary documents like passport and clearances with regard to closing of the criminal case filed against him.

The Hyderabad police took Shoaib’s passport after Ayesha Siddiqui, a Hyderabad girl whom he allegedly married in 2002, lodged an FIR against him for dumping her after the marriage.

Shoaib, being a foreign national, his passport was deposited in a local court as part of the police procedure.

Sania’s aunt Hameeda Usman said, "There is no function today. It is scheduled to take place on April 15 according to the original plan."

Quazi Jaffri earlier said that Friday, being an auspicious day, the Nikah will be performed after ’Magrib’ prayers (evening prayers) today.

When contacted, Narasimha Reddy, Additional Commissioner of Police told reporters that as far as police are concerned, the case is closed but Shoaib has to apply to the court to get back his passport.

A strong media contingent waited outside Sania’s house for most part of the day and new barricade were erected to keep the media at bay.

Close relatives of Sania kept visiting the family. Her father Imran emerged from the house but did not talk to the waiting media men.

Ever since they announced their wedding, the couple had been hounded by the media over Shoaib’s first marriage. Ayesha had alleged that Shoaib married her over phone before dumping her without a divorce due to her weight problems.

Shoaib initially denied the allegations and claimed that Ayesha duped him into a phone marriage by sending photographs of a different woman. The all-rounder, however, finally agreed to divorce her after being pressurized by community leaders.

Ayesha had filed an FIR against Shoaib alleging fraud and criminal intimidation which led to the cricketer’s passport being confiscated by the police.

The FIRs have been withdrawn after Shoaib agreed to divorce Ayesha.