The cross-border love story between Seema Haider and Sachin Meena, aided by the PUBG mobile game, has taken a new twist as the couple has been reported as 'missing' for the past 24 hours, with no communication to their families.
The Indian media extensively covered their unusual love story, which blossomed despite living over 1,300 kms apart in countries not on friendly terms.
Seema, a 30-year-old Pakistani national, and Sachin, a 22-year-old resident of Greater Noida near Delhi, met through PUBG in 2019 and fell in love, facing numerous challenges due to their different nationalities and cultures.
"We became friends and our friendship turned to love and our chats became longer -- every morning and night -- before we finally decided to meet," said Seema, speaking to AFP from the cramped courtyard of Sachin's two-room family home, a couple of days ago.
Seema, who left Pakistan and her husband with her four children by smuggling herself into India via Nepal in May said she has since married Sachin and taken his name.
"I converted to Hinduism," she said, sitting next to Sachin in the village of Rabupura, about 55 kilometres (35 miles) from New Delhi.
"I'd rather die than return or leave Sachin".
The couple's saga took a legal turn when Seema was arrested on July 4 for entering India illegally with her four young children. Sachin was also detained for providing shelter to the undocumented immigrants.
According to latest reports, after their recent release on bail, the Uttar Pradesh's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is currently interrogating Seema, Sachin, and his father at an undisclosed location in Noida.
The court had imposed certain conditions, restricting Seema from leaving India without prior notice to the police and requiring her to inform the court of any address changes.
Meanwhile, Seema's decision to adopt Hinduism and change her surname after her release from jail has caused estrangement from her family and neighbours in Karachi, Pakistan. Some in her community have voiced their disapproval, with one high-profile religious leader openly threatening punishment should she return to Pakistan.
Last week, a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer expressed concerns about potential attacks on Seema Haider following her public announcement of converting from Islam to Hinduism to be with Sachin Meena - Image Credit: Twitter
Seema's neighbours and a relative made it clear to a PTI Correspondent that they don't want her back in Pakistan.
"She should just send her children back to Pakistan. She can stay there. Now she is no longer even a Muslim,” said the 16-year-old son of the landlord in whose rented home Seema stayed with her children for the last three years before deciding to illegally enter India to be with her Hindu lover.
The story of how this largely uneducated mother of four and the wife of a husband working abroad could have the courage in Pakistan's largely conservative society to abandon everything and enter India illegally to be with a much younger man still fascinates everyone in her neighbourhood.
Her home is in a neighbourhood of Bhittaiabad a Katchi Abadi in the heart of Gulistan-e-Jauhar and is nothing much to talk about as it is a three-room portion in a building devoid of any paint and located in a narrow lane full of garbage and overflowing sewerages.
As soon as one reaches Seema's house, one myth is broken that her husband Ghulam Haider who works in Saudi Arabia brought her the house for Rs 1.2 million.
"No, she was a tenant with us for three years with her children. She lived alone with her children. Her father-in-law lives some distance away from here,” Nur Muhammad, the landlord's son, explained. Seema and Ghulam Haider had eloped 10 years back to Karachi and got married against the wishes of their parents.
"We saw her call a taxi and leave one day with her children and some bags and we thought she was going to her village in Jacobabad. But after nearly a month, when we heard about her escapade on TV channels, we were all shocked,” adds Jamal Jakhrani, an elderly man, who was her neighbour.
Jamal, who belongs to the same tribe that Seema and Ghulam Haider belong to, believes it is best Seema remains in India now.
"If ever she thinks of coming back, she will not be forgiven by the tribe and secondly her decision to stay with a Hindu has angered everyone now,” Jamal said.
Initially hesitant to discuss the incident, Maulvi Samiuddin, a prayer leader in the neighborhood mosque, eventually described Seema as evil.
He asserted that husbands should never leave their wives alone for extended periods, and parents should closely monitor their daughters and sisters.
Recently, the Gau Raksha Hindu Dal, a right-wing organisation, issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Seema, demanding her departure from the country, citing concerns about her being a potential Pakistani spy.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-terrorism Squad is also investigating the case, exploring various angles, including the possibility of Seema being an ISI agent.
The couple's absence from their home in Noida has added to the intrigue surrounding their story.
Last week, India Today reported that a senior Uttar Pradesh police officer expressed concerns about potential attacks on Seema Haider following her public announcement of converting from Islam to Hinduism to be with Sachin Meena.
The police official warned about the risk of someone from the crowd or disguised as media personnel carrying out a fatal attack on Haider.
Despite no formal request for security measures from Seema or Sachin, the police continued constant surveillance on their residence in Rabupura, deploying officers in both uniform and plain clothes.
Sources disclosed that the central government might not repatriate Haider to Pakistan at this time, leaving the final decision on her future to the Ministry of External Affairs and the central government.
Regarding Seema's illegal entry into India, police sources indicated the potential consideration of granting her a long-term visa with specific conditions due to her marriage to an Indian.
Additionally, sources informed India Today that if Sachin appeals to the government for his wife to stay in India, she could be granted a long-term visa based on her status.
(With inputs from PTI, AFP, The Free Press Journal and Business Today)
BRITISH police said they arrested five people on Saturday (30) after masked men tried to force their way into a hotel used by asylum-seekers, a day after the government won a court ruling on the use of another hotel to house migrants.
Two groups of anti-asylum protesters marched to the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Heathrow Airport before some demonstrators tried to break in, London's Metropolitan Police force said.
Two police officers suffered minor injuries, it said.
"We understand strength of feeling on these issues, but where peaceful protest crosses the line into criminality, including injuries to our officers, we will take immediate action," commander Adam Slonecki said in a statement.
In Scotland, protesters also demonstrated against the use of a hotel in the town of Falkirk, where asylum seekers are believed to be housed.
In a separate incident, three men were arrested late on Friday (29) outside another hotel used to house asylum-seekers in Epping in east London.
"The overwhelming majority of people in Epping tonight clearly wanted their voices to be heard and they did that safely and without the need for a police response," said assistant chief constable Glen Pavelin of Essex police.
"However, the right to protest does not include a right to commit crime and tonight a small number of people were arrested. Two officers sustained injuries which are thankfully not serious," he added.
The local authority in Epping is expected to decide on Monday (1) whether to challenge the appeals court decision in the Supreme Court.
At least 13 other councils are also considering pressing ahead with legal action over the use of asylum hotels in their areas, The Times daily reported.
The protests in Epping have spread to other parts of Britain, amid growing frustration at the continued arrival of small boats packed with migrants across the English Channel from France.
The government of prime minister Keir Starmer on Friday won a court ruling that overturned a previous court decision that asylum-seekers would have to be evicted from the hotel in Epping where a resident was charged with sexual assault.
Earlier, Starmer promised to "smash the gangs" enabling migrants to make the journey.
The prime minister posted on X on Saturday: "I am clear: we will not reward illegal entry. If you cross the Channel unlawfully, you will be detained and sent back."
But critics pointed out that more irregular migrants have arrived since the start of January 2025 than in the same period last year.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch backed Tory-run councils to pursue legal action against migrant hotels.
"Keir Starmer has shown that he puts the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people who just want to feel safe in their towns and communities," Badenoch posted on X.
Concern about immigration has risen to the top of the political agenda in Britain after an increase in migrants using small boats to reach the country.
More than 32,000 migrants were being housed in around 200 hotels across the country at the end of June, according to government figures.
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INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his support for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Modi's office said.
Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on Saturday (30), said Modi supported Ukraine's call for a ceasefire in the war with Russia and hoped that notion would be heard at the forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China.
Modi's office, in a statement, said Zelenskiy shared the Indian prime minister's perspective on recent developments related to Ukraine, while Modi stressed India's support for efforts aimed at the earliest restoration of peace.
"The leaders also reviewed progress in the India-Ukraine bilateral partnership and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in all areas of mutual interest," it said.
"I have just spoken with Indian prime minister Modi about precisely what is going on. Russia is continuing the war, continuing to kill," Zelenskiy said.
"It is important that the prime minister of India supports the idea that a ceasefire is needed and would be a clear signal that Russia is ready for diplomacy. We are counting on this being heard at the meeting in China."
The statement from Modi's office made no mention of a call for a ceasefire.
Ukraine, backed by European countries, has long called for a ceasefire in hostilities as an important initial step to resolving the conflict.
US president Donald Trump initially urged Russia to agree to a ceasefire, but since his talks this month with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska has said that a ceasefire is not a vital element in moving towards a solution.
Speaking earlier on Saturday after overnight attacks on southeastern Ukraine, Zelenskiy said Moscow had used preparation time for a meeting of leaders of both countries to launch new attacks on his country.
On Friday (29), Zelenskiy brought up Trump's deadline for deciding on new measures against Russia if Putin fails to commit to a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
(Reuters)
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India's prime minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping during a meeting on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, August 31, 2025. India's Press Information Bureau/Handout via REUTERS
INDIAN prime minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi was committed to improving ties with Beijing in a key meeting with China's president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a regional security forum on Sunday (31).
Modi is in China for the first time in seven years to attend a two-day meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, along with Russian president Vladimir Putin and other leaders from Central, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East in a show of Global South solidarity.
"We are committed to progressing our relations based on mutual respect, trust and sensitivities," Modi told Xi during the meeting, according to a video clip posted on the Indian leader's official X account.
The bilateral meeting took place five days after Washington imposed punishing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods due to New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil. Analysts say Xi and Modi are looking to present a united front against Western pressure.
Modi said an atmosphere of "peace and stability" has been created on their disputed Himalayan border, the site of a prolonged military standoff after deadly troop clashes in 2020, which froze most areas of cooperation between the nuclear-armed strategic rivals.
He added that an agreement had been reached between both nations regarding border management, without giving details.
Both leaders had a breakthrough meeting in Russia last year after reaching a border patrol agreement, setting off a tentative thaw in ties that has accelerated in recent weeks as New Delhi seeks to hedge against renewed tariff threats from Washington.
Direct flights between both nations, which have been suspended since 2020, are "being resumed", Modi added, without providing a timeframe.
China had agreed to lift export curbs on rare earths, fertilisers and tunnel boring machines this month during a key visit to India by China's foreign minister Wang Yi.
China opposes Washington's steep tariffs on India and will "firmly stand with India," Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said this month.
For decades, Washington painstakingly cultivated ties with New Delhi in the hope that it would act as a regional counterweight to Beijing.
In recent months, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit Buddhist sites in Tibet, and both countries have lifted reciprocal tourist visa restrictions.
"Both India and China are engaged in what is likely to be a lengthy and fraught process of defining a new equilibrium in the relationship," said Manoj Kewalramani, a Sino-Indian relations expert at the Takshashila Institution think tank in Bengaluru.
(Reuters)
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Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings. (Photo credit: West Yorkshire Police)
A FORMER West Yorkshire Police officer has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after being convicted of misconduct in a public office.
Wasim Bashir, 55, who worked as a detective constable in Bradford District, was found guilty of one count of misconduct in a public office for forming a sexual relationship with a female victim of crime. He was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, 29 August.
Bashir retired from the force while under investigation but will still face misconduct proceedings.
The charge related to an incident of abuse of position for a sexual purpose, with Bashir engaging in a sexual relationship with a woman who had reported to West Yorkshire Police that she had been the victim of a sexual offence. He was involved in investigating her case.
The conviction followed an investigation by West Yorkshire Police’s Counter Corruption Unit under the direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct. During the trial, the judge directed the jury to find Bashir not guilty of a second count of misconduct in a public office.
Detective Superintendent Natalie Dawson, Deputy Head of West Yorkshire Police’s Professional Standards Directorate, said: “For a police officer to pursue a sexual relationship with a vulnerable woman who had come forward to report being victim of a sexual offence is nothing short of abhorrent.
“I want to reassure victims of crime and the wider public that this former officer is not representative of our organisation. One of the Force’s key purposes is to protect vulnerable people, and our officers and staff work tirelessly to protect people from harm and to safeguard victims.
“Former DC Bashir has retired from the organisation, but we will still continue with misconduct proceedings with a view to him being banned from gaining any further employment in the policing profession.”
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Protesters calling for the closure of The Bell Hotel, which was housing asylum seekers, gather outside the council offices in Epping on August 8, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
Court of Appeal has overturned injunction blocking use of Epping hotel for asylum seekers.
Judges say human rights obligations outweigh local safety concerns.
At least 13 councils preparing legal action despite ruling.
Protests outside the Bell Hotel lead to arrests and police injuries.
MORE than a dozen councils are moving ahead with legal challenges against the use of hotels for asylum seekers despite the Home Office winning an appeal in the Court of Appeal.
Judges ruled that meeting the human rights of asylum seekers by providing accommodation outweighed local safety concerns.
The injunction was secured by Epping Forest District Council after protests following the alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by an Ethiopian asylum seeker.
The man has been charged and denies wrongdoing. A full hearing on the planning dispute over the Bell Hotel will take place in October.
At least 13 councils are preparing similar legal action, The Times reported, including Labour-run Wirral, Stevenage, Tamworth and Rushmoor. Epping Forest Council said it may appeal to the Supreme Court.
Asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government remained committed to ending hotel use by 2029 and argued the appeal was needed to move migrants “in a controlled and orderly way”.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the government for prioritising “the rights of illegal immigrants above the rights of British people” and urged councils to continue legal action.
Reform leader Nigel Farage said the government had used the European Convention on Human Rights “against the people of Epping”.
Councils including Broxbourne and Spelthorne confirmed they were pressing ahead with enforcement action on planning grounds.
Protests outside the Bell Hotel on Friday led to the arrest of three men, while two police officers sustained minor injuries.