PESHAWAR, Dec 17: Wedding ceremony of four couples from Balakot was held here on Saturday by the social welfare department at the Hayatabad relief centre with the financial assistance of local philanthropists.

Nazia, 25, and her sister Sadia, 23, were engaged to their cousins, Qadir and Bilal, respectively. Their cousin Iram, 22, was engaged to Munir, her cousin, who lives in Lahore.

“Qadeer’s leg was amputated whereas I lost my father in the October earthquake, things are not the same any more,” said Nazia.

Their weddings were earlier scheduled after Eidul Azha in Balakot.

Nazia and Sadia lost their father and Iram her mother in the earthquake. They shifted with their family to the relief centre here after the earthquake.

“I will start my life with my husband in Lahore but I am still not sure about the future,” Nazia said. She said she was still afraid to go to Balakot.

“It would have been better if the ceremony had taken place in our home,” said Iram. She said she also planed to settle in Lahore.

Shabnam, 20, will move to Abbottabad with her husband.

About 500 people attended the ceremony.

Most of the relatives of the brides and bridegrooms were in a sombre mood and there was no music and dance.