Powerless: Bridegroom asks for a generator

Ceremony resumes after generator is added to dowry items.

FAISALABAD: A wedding ceremony that was delayed on Sunday by the bridegroom’s family “because the dowry did not include a power generator” resumed some hours later after the bride’s family arranged for it.

They were also asked to publicly display it before the groom would sign the deed.

This happened in Bosal Colony in Bhowana where Abdul Nasir, the groom, refused to sign the nikahnama saying he would only marry if the bride brought him a generator as part of the dowry. He wanted the bride’s family to display it along with gifts and the dowry.



A relative of the bride told The Express Tribune that the demand came as a shock. He said the groom’s family had not mentioned it earlier. He said the dowry had included furniture, clothes and kitchen appliances.

He said shortly before the nikah khawan was about to give the sermon, Nasir, the groom, asked him to stop. His brother Abdul Waheed then announced that the groom would not sign the nikahnama until a power generator was added to the dowry which was on display.



The bride’s relative said the ceremony was put off.

The groom’s parents supported his in his demand and threatened to leave without the bride if the demand was not met.

He said the bride’s parents initially sought for a day to buy it since it was a Sunday, but the groom’s family did not agree.

It took the bride’s family six hours to purchase the generator. He said they called all their contacts to help them find a shop keeper who would open his shop on a Sunday.

Muhammad Afzal, one of the guests, said, “At first we thought it was some kind of a joke. But then we noticed unrest among the bride’s family …We were shocked.”

He said some men from the bride’s family tried to talk with him and convince him to give them a day, but he clearly declined.

Muhammad Hussain, an uncle of the bride, said, “The demand was deliberately raised at the time of the nikah …They knew we would never turn it down.”

He said the generator was bought for Rs40,000 that the bride’s father had to borrow.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2013.