PAKISTAN: Love triumphed over red tape and diplomatic rivalry yesterday as Pakistan granted citizenship to an Indian woman, letting her live with her Pakistani husband.
The announcement granting citizenship to Ms Hafsa Khan came as Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York to nudge forward a sluggish peace process between the nuclear rivals.
"Despite legal limitations, this was done in the best interests of the couple and in a spirit of goodwill," a Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman said.
Mr Aman Khan married his wife last year but Pakistani authorities refused to give her citizenship and ordered her to leave the country on the expiry of her visa in March.
Mr Khan challenged the interior ministry order in the court and secured a stay, and yesterday the ministry issued a new order granting citizenship to his wife.
"The Secretary of the Interior has been pleased to grant a ... Pakistan Citizenship Certificate," said the order.
Ms Khan, who gave birth to a baby boy last month and who lives with her Pushtun husband in north-western Pakistan, said she was finally happy after months of anxiety.
"I am feeling good and happy," she told reporters by telephone from Hoti, a village some 120km north-west of Islamabad. "I don't know why have they caused trouble and difficulties for us." The couple met and fell in love while they were studying medicine together in Ukraine. Ms Hafsa's name was Diviya before she converted to Islam.
The case highlights the continuing strain between India and Pakistan, despite an improvement in their relations after a peace process was launched last year.
"I urge the leaders not to create problems for the people and take steps to lessen these problems," Ms Khan said as President Musharraf and Prime Minister Singh hailed a new era between the two countries.