Bride in Pakistan, groom and party here in India; border must open for the wedding to take place

Following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the closure of the India-Pakistan border has left an Indian groom and a Pakistani bride in a crisis. The wedding of Shaitan Singh from Jaipur and Pakistani national Kesar Kanwari, which was scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Amarkot, Pakistan, is now uncertain.

The groom and his party, who had planned to travel with a musical procession for the wedding, are currently stranded at the Attari border. Shaitan and his family had gone through considerable difficulty to organize travel documents, including a visa for Pakistan. However, just as they were preparing to depart with the wedding date fixed, the Attari border was closed.

Meanwhile, Shaitan’s visa is valid until May 12. Both families are hoping that the wedding can still take place if the border is reopened by then. However, with the border closed, friends and relatives who had traveled with the groom for the wedding are now forced to return. Following the cancellation of Indian visas in Pakistan, over 450 Indians are reported to have returned within three days, according to figures.