An American woman caused a disruption at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport after refusing to board her return flight on Wednesday, following a failed attempt to marry a Pakistani teenager she met online.
The woman, identified as O’Neija Andrew Robbins, had arrived in Karachi on October 11, 2024 to be with 19-year-old Nidal Memon, a resident of Garden West. Their relationship reportedly developed through social media, but Memon’s family opposed the marriage, leading to a fallout.
Airport officials said Robbins resisted immigration clearance and declined to board a Qatar Airways flight arranged for her departure. “She refused to go through immigration and later did not board the aircraft, causing a delay,” an official said.
Security personnel were called in to escort her to the departure lounge, but airline sources confirmed that her refusal to board caused a 36-minute flight delay.
Under standard security protocols, passengers cannot be forcibly placed on an aircraft. Authorities had contacted the US Consulate in Karachi for assistance, but no response was received, officials said. The Interior Ministry had secured a ticket for Robbins on a flight to the United States, but she continued to resist leaving.
Police and airport security remain engaged in resolving the situation as officials explore further options to facilitate her departure.
The story began when the young man, a resident of Garden West in Karachi, struck up an online relationship with a married woman from the United States. The relationship quickly escalated, and the two exchanged heartfelt messages, building a connection that seemed to transcend the boundaries of continents.
As things grew more serious, the 19-year-old made a bold promise to the woman: once she arrived in Pakistan, they would get married.
The woman, captivated by the idea of a new life with the young man, made the life-altering decision to travel to Karachi. She booked her ticket, left her husband, and abandoned her two children to pursue the love she had been promised.
The teenager made sure everything was arranged on his end, inviting her to his hometown and assuring her that their love would come to fruition once she arrived.
However, upon her arrival in Karachi, things took a shocking and unexpected turn.
The young man, who had once been so full of promises, failed to show up. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the distressed woman at the airport, looking bewildered and confused. While many assumed she was simply another traveler, little did they know that her life had just taken a devastating twist.
The reasons for the 19-year-old’s abandonment were soon revealed. According to the teenager, his family was completely against the relationship and, as a result, a future between the two was impossible. With his family’s disapproval looming over him, he decided to leave the woman stranded, with no means of returning home.
Naturally, this left the woman in a state of utter shock and deep depression. Alone in a foreign country, with no support and no way to go back, she spent an agonizing week at Jinnah International Airport, desperately trying to figure out how to get home.
Fortunately, after hearing of her plight, the Sindh government and the JDC Foundation stepped in to help. They provided her with much-needed support, purchasing a return ticket to help her get back home and reunite with her family.In addition to that, they covered her medical expenses, ensuring she received the care she needed during her stay.