Karachi/New Delhi, Jan 20: Former Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik announced on Saturday that he has married a second time to the country's popular actor Sana Javed in Karachi, finally ending the speculations around his separation with Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

The cricketer released his wedding photograph on social media platform X with his new wife, with the words "And We created you in pairs".

There have been strong rumours since 2022 about differences between 41-year-old Shoaib and Sania leading to a split, and they have rarely been seen together in the last couple of years.

Just a few days back Malik unfollowed the Indian star on Instagram.

Their five-year-old son Izaan lives with Sania.

A family source told PTI that Sania had initiated the divorce proceedings.

"It was a 'khula'. I do not wish to comment beyond this," said the source. Khula refers to the right of a Muslim woman to unilaterally divorce her husband.

Shoaib and Sania had got married in the Indian player's hometown Hyderabad in April 2010 and they used to live in Dubai.

The social media posts by the 37-year-old Sania also indicated that she was under stress.

About a week ago she posted on Instagram, "When something disturbs the peace of your heart, let it go," along with a picture of herself, standing before a mirror with eyes closed.

Two days back also she posted a story on instagram, indicating the turmoil within.

"Marriage is hard, Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard, Choose your hard. being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.

"Communication is hard. No communicating is hard. Life will never be easy. I will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick wisely."

The 30-year-old Sana Javed who has starred in a number of hit drama serial and also acted in Pakistani films had married singer Umair Jaiswal in 2020 at a simple ceremony amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But, two months earlier, reports about their divorce emerged.

Sania, one of India's greatest tennis players had announced her retirement last year.

In a career spanning 20 years, where she won 43 WTA doubles titles and one singles trophy, Sania was seen as a trailblazer for women in sport.

 
 
 
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Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.

Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.

A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.

The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.

The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.

The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.

Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.

Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.

Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.

"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.

The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.

Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.

This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.

Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.

Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.

“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.

He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.

RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.

Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.

Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.

Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.

The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.