Sania-Shoaib wedding might be postponed?

As events around the wedding between Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and tennis ace Sania Mirza get murkier by the day, the Indian sports icon's family was "keeping all options open", including postponing the wedding, indicated a close family friend.

Andhra Cricket Association's former secretary V Chamundeswaranath, a close friend of Sania's family, told reporters late Monday that "while no decision was taken to postpone the marriage, the family was keeping all options open".

Chamundeswaranath has been regularly visiting the Mirza family ever since Shoaib arrived here Friday for his wedding scheduled for April 15.

With Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to be Shoaib's first wife, launching a legal fight to prove her claim and the police not ruling out the Pakistani cricketer's arrest, the two families are seriously considering delaying the marriage, it is learnt.

Police Monday grilled Shoaib at Sania's house at posh Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad after booking a criminal case of cheating, harassment and criminal intimidation against him following a complaint by Ayesha, who is also a resident of this city.

Though both Shoaib and Sania, during their interaction with the media Monday, asserted that the marriage would take place April 15, the family is visibly worried over the impact the controversy may have on the celebrations.

Sania was tense and irritated while answering media queries Monday. "Of course I am upset but we are happy that we are together and we are happy that we are getting married, Inshallah. We want to remember this as a happy occasion in our life and not as bad thing or negative thing," she said.

Police officers, who took away Shoaib's passport and mobile phone, said he may be questioned again and may also be arrested on the basis of evidence they may come across during the course of investigations.

WHAT DO THE

STARS SAY?

It's a rocky way ahead for Sania and Shoaib if the predictions of leading astrologers are anything to go by. They predict that the future is not at all rosy for Sania and the current controversy is just the 'tip of the iceberg of troubles' for her.

Tarot card reader Sunita Menon says, "It's a very rocky way ahead for her. I get an indication that it is going to be troublesome and stormy. But I would not like to comment on things like divorce or separation [from Shoaib] because I don't believe in saying negative things."

Numerologist Sanjay Jumaani is even more forthright in his predictions. "Sania Mirza spells trouble," he says. "Her name adds up to 26 which is an octave of number eight of Saturn.

If you remember, many catastrophic events took place on the 26th -- tsunami on December 26, the Mumbai floods took place on July 26, the Mumbai terrorist attacks on November 26, the Bhuj earthquake on January 26, etc. If Sania doesn't do anything about her name, then she will get into trouble frequently. The same thing applies to her marriage."

Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla says he is not at all 'excited' by the 'match'. "By the grace of Ganesha, the marriage will definitely happen within six months. But six months later, troubles will start again. Both of them are a very tough and difficult combination. I don't want to say about the future of the marriage because both of them are looking forward to a dream. But things look very difficult to me."

SIDDIQUIS TELL PAK LAWYER TO STOP THE MARRIAGE
The Pakistani lawyer of Ayesha has been asked by his client to institute criminal proceedings against Shoaib and stop the imminent marriage.

Speaking at a news conference in Lahore, barrister Farooq Hasan said he had detailed conversations on phone with Ayesha and her father who authorised him to proceed against Shoaib on at least three counts. The lawyer said it was obvious that Shoaib was cheating on Ayesha.

"I will seek the registration of a criminal case against Shoaib for defrauding and cheating an Indian girl," Hasan said. "I will seek registration of yet another case against him under the Hudood Ordinance, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the accused. Thirdly, I will force Shoaib to concede his first marriage with Ayesha and divorce her in accordance with Muslim family law before contracting his second marriage," he said.

COUPLE INVITED TO GILGIT-BALTISTAN FOR HONEYMOON
Shoaib and Sania have been invited to Gilgit-Baltistan for their honeymoon by Pakistan occupied Kashmir's Chief Minister Mehdi Shah.

Shah said both would be given official protocol in Gilgit if they decide to visit the region after their marriage, the Daily Times reports.

SHOAIB'S LAWYER HOPES HE WILL GET HIS PP BACK
Shoaib's Delhi-based lawyer Ramesh Gupta on Tuesday said a representation has been submitted to the commissioner of police in Hyderabad and is hopeful that the Pakistani cricketer, facing charges of cheating a woman who claims to be his wife, will get his passport back soon.

"Shoaib's passport is lying with the police and the commissioner told us that it has not been seized but they just need it for verification. Shoaib is any way here till his [April 15] marriage and we hope they would probably keep a photocopy and return the passport," Gupta said.

Shoaib's brother-in-law Imran Malik, who was present there, said he was here to make arrangements for the April 15 marriage, maintaining Shoaib's alleged 'nikah' with Ayesha was invalid.

Asked how could Shoaib sign a 'nikahnama', invalid or not, without having seen the girl, Imran said, "Had Shoaib not made the blunder, this situation would not have arisen." Imran flew in the capital on Tuesday to met with his lawyer to draw up the future course of action.

LATIF BACKS SHOAIB
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif said on Tuesday Shoaib used to borrow his laptop to chat with a girl and showed him pictures of her. Rashid also said that the Ayesha he has seen on TV is not the girl he saw in pictures.

(Sources: Indo-Asian News Service, Daily News and Analysis, ANI, PTI)