101 couples tie the knot at Nankana Sahib

The organiser had arranged a similar event for flood affected couples in Rajanpur.

NANKANA SAHIB: One hundred and one couples tied the knot on Sunday in a mass marriage ceremony organised by a local philanthropist in Nankana Sahib.

The couples belonged to Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala and Hafizabad. Their families lacked resources for the weddings.

They had been in touch with Khawaja Sufi Muhammad Anwar, a businessman, since he arranged a similar event helping 50 couples belonging to the flood affected areas in Rajanpur a couple of months ago. The ceremony took place at Mor Khunda in Nankana Sahib.

“My husband died 14 years ago. I have been working as a domestic helper since then to feed my family,” said Sughran Bibi. Her daughter, Zahida, got married at Sunday’s ceremony. Sughran said she was always worried about her daugher’s marriage. “I kept saving part of my earnings but due to one emergency or the other could never accumulate enough to arrange for her wedding,” she said.
Gujranwala’s Salim Nawaz and Naila also got married at the ceremony. They said they were cousins and came from a poorfamily. “My income is just enough to provide two meals to my family. I could never think of hosting a full fledged marriage ceremony,” Nawaz said. He said besides his elderly parents he had to provide for two younger brothers and a sister. He said he had learnt about Sufi Anwar through his a neighbour who had attended the mass marriage in Rajanpur. “He approach Sufi Sahib and told him that I was the sole bread earner of my family. After some paperwork and a meeting with my and Naila’s families I was invited to the February 6 ceremony,” he said. The organisers had arranged for dowries as well. These included kitchen ware, pedestal fans, washing machines and furniture. A nominal amount of cash was presented to each couple as salami. Sufi Muhammad said he planned to arrange similar ceremonies in future. “I believe this is the best way.”

He said seeing their daughters married was the biggest concern for many parents nowadays. Though he paid for the ceremony, dowry and other meagre expenses, he said he had no role in matching the couples. He said the families had been contacting him after the Rajanpur mass marriage. “As I had a significant number of couples lined up, I fixed the ceremony for February 6,” he said. Punjab Minister for Food Chaudary Abdul Ghafoor also attended the ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2011.