TAXILA: In a welfare initiative aimed at supporting underprivileged families, a mass marriage ceremony was held in Fatehjang town of Attock, where 35 couples began their new lives.

Under the patronage of Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, the ceremony took place at the Fatehjang Sports Stadium, where the governor warmly welcomed the newlyweds, presented flower bouquets to the brides, and bade them farewell with prayers for a prosperous and harmonious married life.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Saleem Haider Khan said that serving the people of Attock was a sacred duty.

He described the participating brides as his own daughters and reaffirmed his resolve to stand by families unable to meet wedding expenses due to financial constraints. “No respectable family should be deprived of celebrating such a significant moment because of limited resources,” he said.

The governor announced that the series of mass marriage ceremonies would continue across the district and urged deserving families to register through the relevant party offices. He assured them that assistance would be provided with discretion and respect.

He also announced the distribution of 10,000 laptops among students of Attock to promote education and digital inclusion.

Congratulating the organisers, the governor shared that he belonged to a middle- and lower-middle-class background and understood the challenges faced by ordinary families. He emphasised that no daughter would remain unmarried due to the inability to arrange dowry or wedding arrangements.

On the occasion, the President of the Overseas Business Community, Sardar Zahoor Iqbal Khan of France, announced the sponsorship of 20 couples in the upcoming mass marriage programmes and pledged to bear their wedding expenses.

The ceremony was also addressed by the governor’s son, Faizan Haider Khan, PPP Rawalpindi Division President Ashar Hayat Khan, PPP Attock President Haji Malik Riyasat Sudhriyal, and former Parliamentary Secretary Asif Ali Malik Advocate.

Thousands of residents from different parts of the district attended the event, appreciating the initiative as a meaningful step toward social welfare and community support.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2026