Shoaib Malik and Sania Mirza 'over the moon' with warm welcome in Pakistan

Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik has said that he and his newly wedded bride Sania Mirza had never thought they would receive such a warm welcome in Pakistan.

Talking to Geo News on board a flight from Karachi to Islamabad, Shoaib said they were ‘over the moon’ to see Indian channels airing celebrations of their wedding in Pakistan.

“I was very excited to watch the festivities unfolding in Pakistan,” he said.

The star sports couple said they are thankful to the authorities for taking special care of them.

The newly married couple are being accorded VVIP protocol in the country.

Soon after their arrival at the Karachi airport they took a flight to Islamabad, where they were escorted to a five star hotel amid unprecedented security cover.

The traffic movement along their route from the airport to the hotel was stopped till Shoania’s carcade passed.

The duo is likely to meet prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, president Asif Ali Zardari and several other top officials and ministers besides the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan, Sharad Sabharwal, before their reception in Lahore on April 25.