Karachi: The lawn of the palatial Bilawal House in Karachi was used to host the engagement ceremony of Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari - the eldest daughter of former late prime minister Benazir Bhutto and former president Asif Ali Zardari - to Mahmood Choudhry, son of a US-based businessman.
The engagement ceremony was held in the open air to follow the safety precautions against the spread of the coronavirus. A very select gathering attended the engagement ceremony in view of the coronavirus spread as the guests observed the safety precautions against the COVID-19.
Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto, elder brother of Bakhtawar, who a day before diagnosed with coronavirus infection, remained confined to a portion of the Bilawal House and participated in the ceremony via the video-link to virtually thank its guests for their attendance.
The family of Bakhtawar’s fiancé brought sweets, the engagement right, ornaments, and other gifts for the host family to attend the engagement ceremony. Up to 150 persons, mostly being the close relatives and friends of both the families, attended the ceremony.
Up to 15 persons of the family of Choudhry came to attend the ceremony. Some female close friends of Bakhtawar also attended the ceremony.
Some foreign guests belonging to the United Arab Emirates also attended the ceremony as the family of Choudhry is based in the UAE and does multiple businesses there.
Former president Zardari who has been hospitalized due to his ill health, after consulting his physicians, especially came to the Bilawal House for a brief period of time to attend the ceremony.
Traditional dress
Choudhry drove in a bullet-proof vehicle to reach Bilawal House from a five star hotel of the city. Choudhry wore an off-white dress with a Kashmiri shawl for the engagement ceremony. Bakhtawar also wore a traditional eastern dress for the occasion.
Children of the Choudhry family wore black waist coat and white shalwar to attend the engagement ceremony. Rest of his family members wore eastern dresses for the engagement ceremony.
The ceremony was also attended by Faryal, Talpur, Sanam Bhutto, Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, Dr Asim Hussain, Farooq H Naek, Senator Sherry Rehman, Anver Majeed, Riaz Laljee and other high-profile persons.
The menu of the dinner served to the guests included Koftay, Biryani, Chicken Roast, and fish, while special dishes were cooked for the children.
Special security arrangements were made for the engagement ceremony.
