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KARACHI: Chaos marked Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and her Pakistani cricketer husband Shoaib Malik's arrival in the country as star-struck passengers and airport staff mobbed the newly-weds on Thursday.

Sania and Shoaib, who tied the knot on April 12 in Hyderabad, arrived at the Jinnah international airport from Mumbai.

The couple is due to fly to Islamabad this evening to attend receptions by Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani and the Indian High Commission.

"There is lot of mismanagement here even inside the terminal building of the international arrival," a harried passenger, who came on the same flight as the couple, said.

Sania and Shoaib were mobbed by employees of the airlines and other people inside the terminal building and it took them considerable time to get used to the situation.

"Like in Bollywood movies the security here also has come late," Sania, wearing a pink kurti and jeans and sporting sunglasses, was quoted as saying on a television channel.

The couple were accompanied by Sania's mother Naseema. Another channel said Sania had expressed her happiness at finally being in Pakistan, the home of her in-laws.

Sindh minister for sports Dr Muhammad Ali Shah was the only dignitary to be able to meet the couple properly and he wasted no time in presenting them with the traditional Sindhi ajrak, cap and a bouquet.

"It is great to have Sania in Pakistan finally and they will be state-level guests of the government," Shah said.

Heavy crowds gathered outside the airport terminal to catch a glimpse of the couple but were kept waiting as Shoaib and Sania were brought out from the international lounge to the domestic lounge amid heavy security.

"We had to call in security to control things because there was too much rush and Shoaib and Sania were a bit bewildered by the rush they saw on their arrival," an airport security force officer said.

Security also stopped the large media contingent from getting close to the couple.