CHITRAL: An Azeri woman and her Pakistani bridegroom from Lahore chose Kalash valley Bumburate for its natural beauty and hospitality of its people to tie the knot for which they travelled to the valley.

Station house officer of Bumburate police station Saeedur Rehman told Dawn that the Azeri woman named Gulzar and Mohammad Abid from Lahore solemnised the marriage in a ceremony held in a hotel of the valley. He said that scores of Kalash men and women attended the wedding ceremony.

He said that the newly-wedded couple expressed gratitude to the people of the valley for their love and affection and warmth they evinced on the occasion and made it an unforgettable event of their life.

Mr Rehman said that the Azeri woman was attired in traditional bridal dress of her country and the bridegroom was wearing a feather-tied white Chitrali cap, giving it a local touch. He said that Kalash men and women danced to the tune of flute to express their merriment.

Meanwhile, a young man of 22 years in Rech village of Upper Chitral made a sort of record by solemnising marriage with two girls at the same time.

The video and photo of the marriage event went viral on Facebook, attracting a barrage of comments from followers.

As per social media report, bridegroom Sartaj Ahmed Khan, serving in armed forces, had ‘telephonic connection’ with both the girls of his village since long.

“After coming to his village on a one-month leave, he eloped with one of them and brought her to his house but in the meantime, the other girl reached his home by herself to solemnise the marriage,” said a Facebook post.

The situation grew tense when both of the girls insisted to get married with him and were not ready at any cost to go back home. The elders of the village intervened and decided that the man would marry them both and it was materialised instantly.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2025