Pakistani bride dumped at Toronto airport
Published On Wed Mar 16 2011
Aisha Noor says she was told her husband, Owais Qurni, a Canadian citizen, intends to file for divorce and had notified immigration officials to cancel her sponsorship.
SUPPLIED PHOTO
Nicholas Keung Immigration Reporter
A Pakistani woman claims she arrived in Toronto with a permanent resident visa only to find out from border officials that her spousal sponsorship had been annulled.
Aisha Noor, 23, said she was told her husband, Owais Qurni, a Canadian citizen, intended to file for divorce and had notified immigration officials to cancel the sponsorship.
I was shocked, said Noor, who came from an established family in Peshawar, where her father owns a construction company. We both were very happy with this (arranged) marriage and thats why he applied for my visa. He never discussed divorce.
Canadian officials at Pearson airport seized Noors visa upon her arrival March 4. They gave her a temporary visitors permit, but she must leave the country on a scheduled flight Sunday.
In an email to the Star, Qurni, 22, blamed the mess on the institution of arranged marriage.
We are absolutely different people and are not compatible for each other. Our marriage would not have worked out due to these reasons and differences, he wrote.
I really do regret obliging to this arranged marriage set up by my parents. I respected my parents and therefore, respected their decision as well. However, I have realized that this is my life and I have to make my own decision.
Qurni notified Canadas visa post in Islamabad in a letter on Feb. 22. He said his father most recently spoke with Noors father on March 1, three days before her flight to Canada, about the divorce and the sponsorship cancellation.
Noor, who has two degrees from the University of Peshawar, said she was introduced to Qurni, a university student, in April 2008 and began their courtship over the phone and Internet.
Not until their wedding night at Noors grandfathers house on Aug. 15, 2009 did they meet in person. Three days later, the newlywed groom flew back to Toronto.
I was very happy and excited as my dreams of living with my spouse were coming true, said Noor, who got her permanent resident visa in January.
Although Noor and Qurni talked often, Noor insisted they never spoke about a divorce. But she knew something was up when she told Qurni of her arrival and he discouraged her from coming.
Noor said she ignored the warning, flew to Toronto and called Qurni at the airport. Qurni refused to meet her and Noor was picked up by a family friend, Shakeel Habib.
Noor said her father later told her Qurnis family had demanded $50,000 from her family and threatened divorce.
(The) accusation of my demand of $50,000 from her family is preposterous. It does not make any sense for me to take money from her because I am still responsible for her undertaking, Qurni wrote.
It deeply saddens me that Ms. Aisha Noor would go to such extent to fabricate lies and frame me with false accusations.
Habib, Noors family friend in Toronto, was the middleman who visited Qurnis family home here three years ago to make the marriage arrangement.
Thats not good in our society, said Habib, who has known Noors father for 40 years. Once you get married, you dont get divorced. Nobody accepts it in our society.
Said Noor: Im least interested in immigration (to Canada), but I want justice. He has ruined my life.
According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, a sponsorship can be withdrawn at any point of the process. Border officials can refuse permanent status to a sponsored individual as long as a sponsor expresses the intent not to fulfill the obligations. Sponsors are not obliged to provide reasons.(http://www.thestar.com/news/investi...96--pakistani-bride-dumped-at-toronto-airport)
Published On Wed Mar 16 2011
SUPPLIED PHOTO
Nicholas Keung Immigration Reporter
A Pakistani woman claims she arrived in Toronto with a permanent resident visa only to find out from border officials that her spousal sponsorship had been annulled.
Aisha Noor, 23, said she was told her husband, Owais Qurni, a Canadian citizen, intended to file for divorce and had notified immigration officials to cancel the sponsorship.
I was shocked, said Noor, who came from an established family in Peshawar, where her father owns a construction company. We both were very happy with this (arranged) marriage and thats why he applied for my visa. He never discussed divorce.
Canadian officials at Pearson airport seized Noors visa upon her arrival March 4. They gave her a temporary visitors permit, but she must leave the country on a scheduled flight Sunday.
In an email to the Star, Qurni, 22, blamed the mess on the institution of arranged marriage.
We are absolutely different people and are not compatible for each other. Our marriage would not have worked out due to these reasons and differences, he wrote.
I really do regret obliging to this arranged marriage set up by my parents. I respected my parents and therefore, respected their decision as well. However, I have realized that this is my life and I have to make my own decision.
Qurni notified Canadas visa post in Islamabad in a letter on Feb. 22. He said his father most recently spoke with Noors father on March 1, three days before her flight to Canada, about the divorce and the sponsorship cancellation.
Noor, who has two degrees from the University of Peshawar, said she was introduced to Qurni, a university student, in April 2008 and began their courtship over the phone and Internet.
Not until their wedding night at Noors grandfathers house on Aug. 15, 2009 did they meet in person. Three days later, the newlywed groom flew back to Toronto.
I was very happy and excited as my dreams of living with my spouse were coming true, said Noor, who got her permanent resident visa in January.
Although Noor and Qurni talked often, Noor insisted they never spoke about a divorce. But she knew something was up when she told Qurni of her arrival and he discouraged her from coming.
Noor said she ignored the warning, flew to Toronto and called Qurni at the airport. Qurni refused to meet her and Noor was picked up by a family friend, Shakeel Habib.
Noor said her father later told her Qurnis family had demanded $50,000 from her family and threatened divorce.
(The) accusation of my demand of $50,000 from her family is preposterous. It does not make any sense for me to take money from her because I am still responsible for her undertaking, Qurni wrote.
It deeply saddens me that Ms. Aisha Noor would go to such extent to fabricate lies and frame me with false accusations.
Habib, Noors family friend in Toronto, was the middleman who visited Qurnis family home here three years ago to make the marriage arrangement.
Thats not good in our society, said Habib, who has known Noors father for 40 years. Once you get married, you dont get divorced. Nobody accepts it in our society.
Said Noor: Im least interested in immigration (to Canada), but I want justice. He has ruined my life.
According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, a sponsorship can be withdrawn at any point of the process. Border officials can refuse permanent status to a sponsored individual as long as a sponsor expresses the intent not to fulfill the obligations. Sponsors are not obliged to provide reasons.(http://www.thestar.com/news/investi...96--pakistani-bride-dumped-at-toronto-airport)
