LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to solemnized more than 5,000 marriages this year across the province under the Punjab Dhee Rani Programme.
In the third phase of the initiative, 165 deserving couples from District Gujranwala were married in a grand collective wedding ceremony. Each newlywed couple received a gift package comprising Rs200,000 cash assistance and a bridal dress as a token of love and support from the Chief Minister Punjab.
Speaking at the ceremony held at Eden Garden Banquet, Gakkhar, Provincial Minister for Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Mal Sohail Shaukat Butt highlighted that 17 Christian couples were also among the beneficiaries, symbolizing interfaith harmony and inclusivity. The participating couples included 15 from Gujranwala City, 21 from Gujranwala Saddar, 29 from Kamoke, 46 from Nowshera Virkan, and 54 from Wazirabad.
The ceremony was attended by prominent political and administrative figures, including Members of the National and Provincial Assemblies Bilal Farooq Tarar, Waqar Cheema, Adnan Chatha, Qaiser Iqbal Sandhu, Imran Khalid Butt, Umar Farooq Dar, Muhammad Nawaz Chauhan, Emmanuel Athar, Ms. Sonia Ashiq, Secretary Social Welfare Punjab Javed Akhtar Mahmood, Commissioner Gujranwala Division Syed Naveed Haider Shirazi, Deputy Commissioner Naveed Ahmed, AC Wazirabad Ms. Zarqoon, President Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce Ali Humayun Butt, Divisional Coordinator Social Welfare Rana Ali Yasar Khan, Divisional Director Social Welfare Irshad Waheed, Deputy Director Ms Sameera Iqbal, Hafiz Shahid Farooq Butt, Khateeb Auqaf Gujranwala Mufti Muhammad Akram, Prof Shehzad Lawrence, Assistant Director Muhammad Alam, Incharge Dar-ul-Aman Ms Shahida Waris, Assistant Director Ms Zaib Linsa and other officers of the Social Welfare Department.
Minister Sohail Shaukat Butt stated that the Chief Minister’s initiative stands as a historic milestone in Punjab’s social welfare landscape, aiming to empower underprivileged families and promote social equity. He added that through this noble cause, Almighty has chosen Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for a great humanitarian mission and blessed her with exceptional leadership qualities.
He further remarked that the Punjab Dhee Rani Programme has played a vital role in reducing social disparities and has become a foundation for countless parents’ prayers for the Chief Minister. The newlywed couples and their families expressed heartfelt gratitude to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Provincial Minister Sohail Shaukat Butt for organizing such a dignified and memorable event that fulfilled the dreams of many deserving daughters across Punjab.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025