The Punjab government has approved Rs 24.64 million to organise mass marriages for 350 deserving couples under its mass marriage programme. The Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Mal Department has started preparations for the ceremonies, which will be held in phases before the upcoming holy month of Ramazan, according to media reports.
The initiative aims to provide financial support to underprivileged couples and help them begin their married lives with government assistance. The contract for managing the marriage arrangements will be awarded on September 25. Private wedding hall owners and catering service providers will also be eligible to apply for the contract.
In the first phase, mass marriages of 50 couples will be arranged. The department will subsequently announce the schedule and arrangements for the first ceremony. Registration for eligible couples is expected to begin in October, while the first mass marriage ceremony will be held in October across the six districts of the Rawalpindi Division.
The approved funds will primarily be used to provide food and refreshments to guests. The ceremonies will feature a one-dish meal as part of the arrangements. Officials said the phased programme is aimed at supporting deserving couples and helping them begin their married lives with financial assistance from the provincial government.
It is worth mentioning here that the Punjab government has set a target of arranging mass weddings for 5,000 deserving girls under the Dhee Rani Programme during the current financial year. The mass wedding ceremonies will be organised in phases, with the first phase scheduled to begin next month. Under the programme, marriages of around 3,000 deserving girls were solemnised during 2024-25, while another 5,000 girls benefited during 2025-26.
The development was discussed during a meeting chaired by Punjab Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Minister Sohail Shaukat Butt, which reviewed arrangements for holding mass weddings at the divisional level during the current financial year. Officials informed the meeting that applications for the programme had been received through the Maryam Ko Batain app. The applications will undergo scrutiny and verification, after which eligible applicants will be selected for participation.
The Dhee Rani Programme was launched after approval from the provincial cabinet to help facilitate dignified marriages for girls from deserving and low-income families.