Ayesha hires Pak lawyer

A Pakistani lawyer claimed on Monday that Shoaib Malik's alleged wife Ayesha Siddiqui wanted him to file cases against the cricketer in Pakistani courts to stop his marriage with Sania Mirza.

"They (Ayesha's family) have asked me to stop Malik's marriage (with Sania) no matter what," Farooq Hasan, a Lahore- based senior lawyer, said.

He said he would file cases against Malik under "Section 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code (for cheating) and Hudood Ordinance (for fornication)". He added: "The cases will be filed at an appropriate legal forum after Indian cases against the former Pakistan captain fail to prevent his marriage scheduled for April 15.

"We will do whatever it takes to stop him from marrying Sania," Hasan said. Hasan said the police in India had registered a case against Malik under Section 498 of the Indian Penal Code. This, according to him, meant that the Indian authorities had already accepted him as Ayesha's husband.

"Section 498 deals with domestic quarrels between a husband and a wife," he claimed. So, he said, the Indian police would not investigate whether the two were married because they had already accepted that by registering the case.

"They will rather investigate why Malik is behaving with his wife in a strange way," said Hasan. "So, therefore, the registration of the case itself means that his marriage (with Sania) will never happen unless a court of law declares his earlier marriage as null and void," he added. "It is up to the court now to decide and this will certainly take some time," he said, implying that Malik's plans to marry Sania on April 15 may not materialise.

Hasan said he had received an emailed copy of the power of attorney from Ayesha and had spoken to her over phone. "I have yet to get the original power of attorney and other documents from Ayesha that I require to file the case," he added.

Earlier in the day, he told reporters at the Lahore High Court that he expected to file cases against Malik in three days. "From my conversation with Ayesha I have come to the conclusion that Shoaib is not telling the truth and cheating his lawful wife," he told the press.