Sania bhabi uneasy as Lahoris fail to curb their enthusiasm

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

LAHORE: When Sania Mirza finally arrived at the hotel where she and husband Shoaib Malik were to stay for the night, it was not the same smiling face we’ve all come to know from the pictures and the TV footage. Both the tennis star and her mother were visibly upset over the ‘over-enthusiastic’ reception they got as they entered the lobby of their hotel. The Lahoris who turned out to welcome Shoaib and Sania apparently could not curb their enthusiasm, and even managed to elicit an emotional response from Sania, who was seen wiping away tears as she headed up to her room, hubby in tow. The star couple arrived in Lahore to a massive welcome on Friday. The newlyweds landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport, accompanied by Sania’s mother, via PIA flight PK 391, and were driven out of airport through the haj terminal. Instead of travelling in the limousine hired to take them to their hotel, the couple were whisked away to their destination in a private car. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, the lobby began to fill with fans and well-wishers, and even some who were just there to catch a glimpse of Pakistan’s most famous daughter-in-law. Dhol walas and even some celebrities turned out to welcome the newly-weds to Lahore, the undisputed heart of the subcontinent. But as the couple pulled up outside the lobby, they were greeted with a sea of people, all jostling and clamouring for the chance to take a picture of the tennis queen. Visibly perturbed by the sight, the couple was escorted through the loud and heaving crowd by security personnel, albeit at snail’s pace. All the while, photographers and cameramen were jostling for position, trying to get the picture that would make the next day’s front pages. As they moved along, there was a great deal of pushing and shoving, which unsettled Sania, who, at one point, lost her balance and would’ve fallen if Shoaib had not reached out to steady her. This brought tears into Sania’s eyes, who then placed her head on her mother’s shoulders and walked like this towards their room, with her mother consoling her all the way. Superintendent of Police (Civil Lines) Haider Ashraf told Daily Times that the security of the hotel was foolproof, but more policemen have been deployed to deal with the crowds. “We have orders to provide cover to the couple as fans may attempt to get into the rooms of the celebrity couple”, he said. staff report