Sania may undergo surgery on injured knee: says her father

Sania's father Imran Mirza told reporters here that she was presently undergoing a course of injections with the hope that she responds to the treatment and does not need a surgery.

"We will know in a week's time whether the injections treatment has worked if they don't work than Sania has to have another surgery and we will fly back to India for that," Imran said.

Sania and her family are presently in the city on a private visit as her husband Shoaib Malik is playing in the National T20 Championship at the National Stadium.

Imran said that Sania had had two previous surgeries for her knee problem and it had affected her career graph.

"We are praying this time the knee treatment is successful and she does not have to go through all the pain again," he said.

Imran accompanied Malik to the stadium and watched his son-in-law lead the Sialkot Stallions to a big victory over Hyderabad Hawks. Malik opened the innings and scored a half century.

Imran said he was delighted to be back in Karachi for the first time after 1965.

"The city has really changed a lot and it is nice to be back here and enjoy our holidays. I have told Shoaib to show me around as much as he can," he said.

He said he and his family had come to Pakistan with message of goodwill and love for everyone.

"Our message is one of love that is all I will say," said Imran.

Sania got a warm welcome when she reached the city yesterday with Malik and she was cheered by the people at Karachi airport. She refrained from speaking to the media.

This is the first time Sania is visiting Pakistan's biggest city since she came here to play in an international junior tennis tournament in the 90s.

Sania, who got married to Malik last year in April in a wedding that took the subcontinent by storm, has been in Pakistan for the last few days visiting her in-laws in Malik's hometown of Sialkot besides travelling to Lahore on a private visit.

Sources said Malik arranged for a special permission for his wife to be in Karachi for the duration of the tournament in which he is captaining the Sialkot Stallions.