A ban has been announced on Saudi gentlemen marrying ladies from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chad and Myanmar.
People who have deep knowledge as to matrimonial connections can perhaps sniff out the common link. Is it the case that the denizens of those countries are deliberately under-cutting the marriage market for Saudi ladies? If that is indeed the case, is it not better to treat such concerns by means of immigration controls, rather than taking resort to blanket bans which carry the whiff of racism?
BTW most comments on the Dawn website stress on the following:
(1) Pakistanis are much more intelligent, more beautiful and more worthy than Saudi counterparts, and
(2) No Pakistani woman in her right mind would like to marry a Saudi and become a life-time slave
Top comment: Proof Arab discrimination against fellow Arabs.
Capturing the entirety of emotions, history, literature and politics hiding behind that one single statement (from a South Asian POV) will perhaps require the efforts of 10,000 (doctoral) students over 10,000 years. Seriously.
Finally this section of the order – If the applicant
is already married, he should attach a report from a hospital proving
that his wife is either disabled, suffering from a chronic disease or is
sterile – wouldn’t it be loverly if this can be incorporated as part of Sharia code everywhere?
…
Saudi men have been prohibited from marrying women from Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Chad and Myanmar, says a report in Makkah daily quoting
Makkah Police Director Maj Gen Assaf Al-Qurashi.
According to unofficial figures, there are about 500,000 women from these four countries currently residing in the kingdom.
In
a move apparently aimed at discouraging Saudi men from marrying
foreigners, additional formalities have been placed before issuing the
permission for marriage with foreigners. Saudi men wishing to marry
foreigners now face tougher regulations.
Those wanting to marry
foreign women should first obtain the consent of the government and
submit marriage applications through official channels, Maj Gen Qurashi
was quoted as saying.
The
official said applicants should be over 25 and attach identification
documents signed by the local district mayor as well as all other
identity papers, including a copy of his family card. “If the applicant
is already married, he should attach a report from a hospital proving
that his wife is either disabled, suffering from a chronic disease or is
sterile,” he said.
Maj Gen Qurashi said divorced men would not be allowed to apply within six months of their divorce.
…
Link: http://www.dawn.com/news/1123519/saudis-told-not-to-marry-women-from-pakistan-3-other-states
….
regards