Dubai: While India and Pakistan have been locking horns on the borders, an Indian man and a Pakistani woman have tied the knot in Dubai following six years of love that knows no bounds.
Rayaan, a Gujarati from Mumbai and Habiba, from Karachi, got married on February 23.
Giving up the initial resistance, both families united for their wedding in Dubai at a time when the hostilities between the two neighbouring countries reached the flashpoint.
The escalating tension between the arch-rivals did not deter the determination of the couple who had chosen to never give up on each other despite “six long years of fights, sacrifices and difficult times,” in Rayaan’s own words.
Giving up the initial resistance, both their families united for their wedding in Dubai at a time when the hostilities between the two neighbouring countries reached a flashpoint.
On the border, India and Pak are fighting, but here in UAE, we have proven to them that love can truly unite and make us One!!
Announcing the wedding on Facebook, Rayaan posted the wedding photo and wrote: “6yrs before we had a fear that how will we ever be One since I am from India and you are from Pakistan. But still we chose to never give up on each other. And finally after 6 long years with lots of fights, sacrifices and difficult times, we are now officially ONE!!”
“On the border, India and Pak are fighting, but here in UAE, we have proved them that love can truly unite and make us One!!”
Coincidentally, their story had started on Facebook, the couple told Gulf News.
“It all began with a poke. Of course, it’s me who poked,” Rayaan said, laughing.
“We kept chatting and became friends,” said Habiba.
However, Rayaan admitted that he had a crush on her. “But we didn’t get into a relationship in the beginning as she wasn’t interested,” he said.
Dream career
Rayaan, who was raised in Sharjah, was in Mumbai for his higher studies and later to chase his dream career in acting. Though his parents always wanted him to come back and settle here, he didn’t because he had got chances to act in serials, short films and ads.
Once, he had come back for a visa change and met Habiba on a beach in Ajman. “That is when we realised we actually love each other,” said Habiba.
“She said she was feeling lonely. So, I went back, packed up my stuff and came back in four days. The rest is history,” Rayaan said, laughing again.
Journey
The couple said their journey has been amazing and thanked their families for forgoing the differences and joining together to get them married.
They hoped more cross-border marriages like theirs will happen so that there will be better people-to-people camaraderie, eventually leading to better relations between the countries.
What has been happening of late between their countries has pained the couple who said many of their close friends in Dubai are from across the border.