An Indian man tied the knot with a Pakistani woman. But what was notable is that the wedding took place online. Arbaaz, who is from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, married Pakistani national Ameena online after she failed to obtain an Indian visa for the wedding.

The video was held via a video call and was completed with all the rituals. Officials from both India and Pakistan conducted the wedding while family members and relatives from both sides participated in the event.

In Jodhpur, the wedding was displayed on LED screens for the groom’s relatives to witness. Arbaaz is the son of civil contractor Mohammad Afzal.

After the marriage, he said they will apply for a visa in a bid to get his wife into India. Arbaaz explained: “Our relatives are in Pakistan. This is an arranged marriage through relatives.

“We were compelled to conduct it online due to the strained relations between the two countries at present. It will take a considerable amount of time to obtain a visa. That’s why we decided to conduct it virtually.”

He went on to say that if they got married in Pakistan, the marriage would not be legally recognised in India. Arbaaz stated that this would mean that they would have to return to their home country for the official wedding.

By applying for an Indian visa, the newlywed couple hopes to facilitate the process. Arbaaz’s father also said that the family are eagerly awaiting the bride’s arrival.

Afzal Mohammad said online marriages are a favourable option for working-class families because they reduce expenses yet fulfil the customs associated with matrimony. He added that the bride’s family is simple and that the marriage did not cost a lot.

The Indian man explained that this was an arranged marriage, with their families making the match. One of Arbaaz’s family members is already married to another woman from Ameena’s family.

There has been an increasing number of Pakistani citizens marrying Indian nationals. In July 2023, a married Indian woman travelled to Pakistan to meet a man whom she fell in love with after meeting on Facebook.

Anju stated that she was not planning to marry Nasrullah, however, it was later reported that she did tie the knot with him. Her father criticised her for abandoning her husband and their two children.