Muslim Lesbians Marry, Receive Death Threats

A Muslim lesbian couple who wed in a civil ceremony in the U.K., is now seeking political asylum since their home country Pakistan forbids same-sex relationships.

Rehana Kausar and Sobia Kamar could not find an imam to perform a traditional Islamic marriage ceremony, known as a nikah, but exchanged vows at a registry office in Leeds earlier this month. They have since received death threats from people in the U.K., as well as from Pakistan, according to the Birmingham Mail.

Kausar and Kamar donned traditional white wedding dresses when they exhanged their vows. They knew each other for three years after moving to Birmingham, England from Pakistan with student visas. They have lived together as a couple for about a year.

“This country allows us rights and it’s a very personal decision that we have taken," Kausar said. "It’s no one’s business as to what we do with our personal lives. The problem with Pakistan is that everyone believes he is in charge of other people lives and can best decide about the morals of others but that’s not the right approach and we are in this state because of our clergy, who have hijacked our society which was once a tolerant society and respected individuals freedoms.”