Foreign Currency Notes & Expensive Cellphones: The Lavish Pakistani Wedding

(MENAFN- IANS) Islamabad, Nov 3 (IANS) In one of the most expensive weddings in Pakistan's Sialkot, guests were showered with foreign currency notes, expensive cellphones and suits during the reception.

In a video, which has gone viral on social media, the groom's side can be seen tossing the foreign currency notes and mobile phone from the balcony, Geo News reported.

As the reports, the groom's side also distributed the costly clothes among the guests.

Lavish weddings are part of Pakistani culture and in some cases, the celebrations go on for an entire week.

In one such big wedding in Punjab's Kot Addu, in June, one of the relatives of the groom gave him (groom) a 30-foot-long foreign currency garland salami. The garland was worth Rs 5 lakh and had Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes.

In Pakistan, salami is a traditional gift given during reception as a token of appreciation and blessing.

A wedding event in an upscale banquet hall in Pakistan can cost upwards of 1 million rupees ($3,576), a hefty price tag in a country with an annual gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of just more than $1,500 and very high inflation.

As per media reports, a wealthier family could easily spend 10 to 20 million rupees on a party.

In Pakistan, banks also offer loans and other wedding financing of up to 3 million rupees.

Welfare institutions, including one of the Pakistani government, support people from disadvantaged backgrounds or low-income households to pay for weddings.

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