Onijah first arrived in Karachi with dreams of love, traveling thousands of miles to meet a man she had been speaking to online, only to be left abandoned at the airport by Nidal Ahmed Memon, a resident of the city’s Garden area.
Stranded and alone, her story captured international attention.
But amid the challenges she faced, a beautiful friendship blossomed — one that the world quickly fell in love with.
itting down with Haroon Rashid on BBC Asian Network, Onijah shared touching details about her bond with Shabana.
“She is very good. She is very funny. She’s always on her phone. We’ve got like similar personalities … Because in the mornings, we’d be a little fidgety. We were always doing something, but we’d make it on time to where we was going,” Onijah said, smiling.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by BBC Asian Network (@bbcasiannetwork)
The camaraderie between the two women wasn’t just heartwarming — it quickly went viral.
Videos and photos showing Onijah and Shabana together, especially during Onijah’s hospital stay, flooded social media. Their chemistry sparked adorable memes, and even inspired viral TikTok audios, making them beloved figures across continents.
Speaking warmly about her Pakistani friend, Onijah added:
“Shabana was the type of officer to give me love and compassion. And it was beautiful. She was a woman, add that too. It was a great experience, like, the love was crazy!”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Quirkisstan (@quirkisstan)
When the interviewer mentioned how Onijah often referred to the officers as her “team,” she laughed and explained:
“I thought they were behind me on the camera, but I didn’t known that they were stepped to the side. It was a bunch of other officers there, also! It wasn’t just Shabana but Shabana and me grew together, ‘cause she is a woman like me.”
The bond was so genuine that it transcended duty. When asked about the funny videos they made together, especially while Onijah was in the hospital, her face lit up:
“Shabana is really a great person.”
Onijah didn’t stop there. Thinking about the future, she imagined how Shabana would fit into her own hometown.
“Shabana will love New York,” she said, adding that the city would be “a great image for her.”
Ending the heartfelt interview, Onijah sent a direct message to her Pakistani friend:
“Shabana, I love you.”
The story didn’t end with the interview. Shabana herself later took to BBC Asian Network’s Instagram, leaving an emotional comment for her American friend:
“Really Onijah you are great and good lady Onijah I love you too ❤️”
It’s clear that the bond between Onijah and Shabana — and even the rest of the Pakistani police team who cared for her — is something Onijah will never forget.
Despite everything she went through, it’s the kindness, loyalty, and “crazy love” she found with her unlikely friend that remains etched in her heart.