Female US citizen alleges falling victim to marital fraud, husband denies

ISLAMABAD: Farkhandah Shah Tarar, a US citizen of Pakistani origin, alleges that she became a victim of marital fraud, lost millions of rupees and is now living under paid protection in jurisdiction of Police Station Baghdad-al-Jadid area of Bahawalpur as she fears for her life.

When contacted, she said that she had repeatedly approached the local police and submitted a written application for registering a case in the matter and also to provide her some protection but so far the police were not extending any help to her.

She eventually approached the court of law in Bahawalpur and the judge ordered the police to investigate the matter and if necessary should register a case. Additional Sessions Judge, Bahawalpur, Rana Abdul Hakeem issued order in the case, dated 10-06-20, in the matter that stated:

“Be that as it may, irrespective to the report/ comments submitted by the SHO/ respondent No. 1, as matter has come into knowledge of the local police, therefore, the SHO P.S Baghdad-al-Jadid, Bahawalpur, is directed to entertain complaint of the petitioner, record her version/ statement, hear both parties and if cognizable offence is made out therefrom, then proceed further in accordance with law.”

The District Police Officer (DPO) of Bahawalpur was approached for his comments in the matter. His PRO Sub-Inspector Jam Sajid, on behalf of DPO Bahawalpur, in a written statement submitted by the Baghdad-al-Jadid Police Station, said that the complaint of the lady was heard in person in full detail and it was concluded that the matter in question does not fall within the jurisdiction of Police Station Baghdad-al-Jadid.

Meanwhile, Ms Farkhanda told ‘The News’ that she was lured into love marriage by one Tanvir Alam Joiya, son of Alamgir, resident of Okara, ‘on-line’ back in 2014. Soon after marriage he asked for some money to construct a house for her in Okara as well as to purchase a cattle farm to raise buffalo and goats against which she gave him US$25,000 between the years 2014-16.

In her written statement to the police, she said, her husband, Tanvir Alam Joiya, demanded $50,000 from her to settle some land dispute with some other party of his tribe, which he promised to return soon.

However, when contacted, Tanvir Alam Joiya denied all allegations leveled against him by Farkhanda. He claimed that actually he is the victim in the whole scheme.

He conceded that he did marry Farkhanda despite knowing how old she was only because he wanted to go to America. But, he added, later he realised that he has been trapped in a network of blackmailers.

He denied receiving any large amounts of money in dollars or in rupees from Farkhanda. He said that when she came to Pakistan in 2019 she stayed with him only for three days in a guest house in Islamabad and then she returned to America.

Advocate Raja Anjum, the counsel for Farkhanda, when contacted said that the argument of Bahawalpur Police was illogical. “The case is not about marriage contract. It is actually the case of extortion of money, keeping my client in illegal confinement, drugging and physical violence, depriving her of cash money, jewelry, cellular phone and her US bank’s ATM card and forcibly acquiring the PIN code of the card through brutal violence. All these things happened in Bahawalpur within the jurisdiction of Police Station Baghdad-al-Jadid. As such the case has to be registered in this particular Police Station,” Advocate Raja Anjum said.