KARACHI: An American woman, Onijah Andrew Robinson, who traveled to Pakistan for love, now finds herself stranded after the teenager she pursued abandoned her.
Refusing to leave the country, Robinson has made an unusual demand, $3,000 per week, and insists she wants to become a Pakistani citizen.
The 33-year-old arrived in Karachi after developing a relationship with 19-year-old Nidal Ahmed Memon online. However, facing pressure from his family, Nidal refused to marry her. For the past seven days, she has been stranded at Jinnah International Airport with no clear path forward.
Unable to leave Pakistan due to the expiration of her tourist visa, she found herself without options. The woman later reached Nidal’s residence in Garden, only to discover that his family had locked the house and disappeared.
With nowhere to go, Onijah staged a sit-in outside the house, refusing to leave. She took shelter in the parking area of the building, prompting the administration to lock the flat’s doors.
Residents expressed concerns over their safety, as strangers began gathering outside the building to see the American woman.
Speaking to Geo News about her plans, Robinson stated, “You got to give me $3,000 a week. I’m becoming a citizen of Pakistan, that’s all I got to say for tonight.”
When asked why she wasn’t leaving, she added: “If y’all dropping no bread by next week, I think I should leave.”
To resolve the matter, SDPO Clifton Faiza Sodhar met with her and later transferred her to a women’s police station. The police said that she required security, and her mental state also appeared unstable.
However, upon her insistence, she was later sent back to the Garden area.
According to the police, Robinson stated that she would leave for her home country whenever she wanted. However, no welfare organisation is willing to provide her shelter.
Meanwhile, police sources revealed that Pakistani youth Nidal was taken into custody by intelligence agencies four days ago, while his family had already vacated their residence.
Earlier, reports suggested that the American woman had left Karachi Airport in a taxi to an unknown location.
According to sources airport authorities had decided to hand her over to the US Consulate. However, she took a taxi and told the police that she was heading to her husband.
A two-member team from the US Consulate met Robinson at Karachi Airport and also discussed the matter with airport officials. The US authorities expressed their preference to convince her to return to the US, but they said that if she refused, they could not force her.
The police reported that Robinson declined assistance from the consulate and refused to accept help from anyone.
In the morning, the American woman refused to board a Gulf airline flight bound for the US via Doha. She created a scene at the airport, first refusing to undergo immigration procedures and later refusing to board flight QR 611.
Airport sources revealed that the heartbroken woman continuously made excuses to avoid leaving Pakistan.
Robinson fell in love with 19-year-old Nidal Memon from Karachi’s Garden area through social media. She arrived in Pakistan on October 11 to be with him.
Initially, Nidal was willing to marry her, but his family strongly opposed the marriage and refused to accept her.
After months of struggle in Karachi, her return ticket expired, and her visit visa also ran out. She was eventually handed over to airport police by the Airport Security Force (ASF).
A local NGO had previously purchased a ticket for her return to the US and provided financial assistance.
Due to cold weather and illness, she was even admitted to the emergency clinic at the airport before her departure ordeal began.
