Wedding stopped over artificial jewellery

" We demand that the groom’s family pay the expenses we had undertaken to organise the ceremony," Father of bride, Rafiq.

The wedding of Faryaad and Najma was underway when the girl’s family presented two tolas gold jewellery as dowry that the groom’s family claimed was artificial.

Aslam, a cousin of the bride, told The Expres Tribune that the ceremony was proceeding well when the groom’s father Faseeh claimed that the jewellery was artificial.

He said that some women of his family had called him a side before he made the claim.

Rafiq, the father of the bride, told The Tribune that a scuffle then broke out as relatives of the bride and the groom fought each other.

“We demand that the groom’s family pay the expenses we had undertaken to organise the ceremony,” he said.

Malik Najam, a member of a local panchayat, said that the matter had been reported to them.

“We have persuaded the two parties to negotiate. We hope that the marriage will go ahead,” he said.

Another panchayat member, Malik Ramazan said the panchayat member did not want the couple to be separated over some jewellery.

The panchayat will decide the matter today (Thursday).

Rafiq said they wanted the groom’s family to pay them Rs100,000 in expenses for the ceremony.

“There were no conditions set for the marriage. I already owe some people money after the wedding expesnes,” he said.

Published In The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2012.