Alabama Woman Dies in Plane Crash with Pakistani Husband

GADSDEN, Ala. -- An Alabama woman who died in the crash of a jetliner in Pakistan had found "the love of her life" in her Pakistani husband, who died with her, a friend said.

Rosie Murphy Jaco Ahmed of Gadsden had gone to Pakistan to make arrangements for her husband, Saleem Ahmed, to get a visa to join her in the United States. Both died in the crash Wednesday near Islamabad.

"They were like two souls totally linked together," Marjorie Shadd-Ismail of Ohio told The Gadsden Times. "This is such a terrible tragedy."

Rosie Ahmed's goddaughter, Paulette Kirksey of Munford, Ala., said her godmother was a retired electrical engineer with Southern Bell who met her husband online and would have been married five years in September.

Shadd-Ismail said Rosie Ahmed had converted to Islam, the faith of Saleem Ahmed, and that they married in Pakistan.

"Their goal was to live their lives together," said Shadd-Ismail. "She wanted to be married to a man of great faith. It was very important to her to have that. She did not see color, creed or status. She loved people unconditionally."

Friends said she had gone to Pakistan in May and was to return to Gadsden in August.