Sania, Shoaib prepare for April wedding

New Delhi/Hyderabad, March 30 (IANS) Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and her family secured Pakistani visas Tuesday ahead of her April wedding with former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik.




Sania's mother Naseema Mirza said the family was set to travel to Lahore, where the marriage is expected to take place early next month. A reception has been planned in India's Hyderabad city April 15.



As Sania flew back to her home in Hyderabad from New Delhi Tuesday afternoon, Malik told journalists in Lahore that the wedding date would be decided by the two families.



'Insha Allah, we are getting married soon,' Malik said. 'Our parents will decide the date. We (Sania and I) are very happy. Our families are also very happy.'



Asked when they will marry, he said: 'It is happening sometime next month.'



In New Delhi, mother Naseema Mirza said: 'We have got the Pakistani visas. Naturally, we will be going to Pakistan. We are all very happy for Sania.'



An official at the Pakistan high commission confirmed that visa applications of 23-year-old Sania, her younger sister and their parents had been processed.



Shoaib's family has also applied for Indian visas, Pakistani media reported.



The couple is expected to live in Dubai after tying the knot, according to their families.



Sania is perhaps the first Indian sporting celebrity to marry a Pakistani, who is also a sports star in his country.



Her surpre decision came two months after she called off her engagement to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza, citing incompatibility. Sohrab Mirza is the son of a Hyderabad-based businessman.



Sania was reportedly seeing Malik for the last few weeks. Sources close to Sohrab's family believe this could be the reason she called off the engagement.



Interestingly, Malik was also engaged to a girl from Hyderabad some years ago but later called it off. The family of that girl had even claimed that he had married her but the Pakistani denied this.



Malik said in January 2008 that his marriage plans with Ayesha Siddiqui ended because both families could not reach an understanding over certain issues.



However, the girl's family claimed that they entered the wedlock through 'nikah' over telephone in 2002. Ayesha's father M.A. Siddiqui had threatened to sue Malik for cheating and asked him to give a divorce.



Malik had reportedly met Ayesha in Dubai. The Pakistani cricket team was given a grand reception by Ayesha's parents at their Hyderabad house when the team toured India in 2005.