Ukranian woman married in Kashmir urges PM Modi to stop war by using his rapport with Putin

Pulwama: A Ukrainian lady married in militancy-hit Tral region of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his influence to stop the aggression on her native country.

Aliza, who adopted the name Asiya after converting to Islam, is the wife of Bilal Ahmed, a businessman from Mandura village in south Kashmir’s Tral sub-district. Aliza and Bilal met in Goa in 2013 and fell in love. She subsequently married him in 2014. She is now a mother of two children and draped in a woolen long flowing Kashmiri robe called Pheran she seems to have completely adopted the Kashmiri lifestyle. She is trying to learn the Kashmiri language also.

In an interview with ETV Bharat, Asiya said that she has been talking to her parents daily since the beginning of the war. She watched the devastation and destruction of her homeland on TV. Her voice choked as she recalled the horrible scenes of her motherland due to the bombing by the Russian troops.

Asiya's husband Bilal Ahmed says that after the war in Ukraine, his wife is constantly distressed and subdued. “At times, she does not eat her meals. She is very upset and just keeps watching the news on mobile,” Ahmad said. She is concerned about the well-being of her parents and the countrymen. Asiya urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his influence to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war.

Referring to her conversations with parents and other relatives she said that the situation in Ukraine was very bad and that Russian forces were targeting civilians and children instead of military bases. “The Ukrainian people are valiantly fighting back with perseverance,” she said adding the world should not support the Russian aggression because if Ukraine is targeted today then another country could be targeted tomorrow."

Asiya added that she was told that the country was getting essentials and medicines while people were socially organized and helping each other. He said that along with the United Nations, India should also put pressure on Russia so that the war could end and the people could breathe a sigh of relief. Asiya said that the people of her country were fighting bravely but they need help. “This aid can be given to them in the form of money, medicine, or weapons,” she said.