THE huge expenditure on weddings and dowry has been cause of constant torture and suffering for many families, especially the low-income and poor ones.

The upper class uses the occasion to show off how wealthy they are. The poor take out the money from their children’s education, health and everyday basics of life to cover nonsensical wedding expenses.

A wedding in our country is an occasion for an insane display of spendings on valimas, mehndis, banquets, jewellery, giveaways, dowry and similar acts. It is not hard to find examples in Pakistan where a poor family saves money for years to marry off a daughter. In some cases girls remain unmarried and suffer much because of the dowry system as parents cannot offer the money needed.

We all must think about it and try to eliminate this evil from society.

M Ahsan Abid

Sargodha

Published in Dawn December 29th, 2016