Pak austerity measures spoil Sania-Shoaib`s walima

Lahore: Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik`s planned reception at a hotel to celebrate his wedding to Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has run into a trouble in view of an official ban on serving more than one dish at marriage functions. Shoaib has made arrangements for hosting a `walima` (reception) for 500 people at the Pearl Continental Hotel on April 22 but official regulations have ensured that the cricketer cannot offer a variety of delicious dishes to his guests. The cricketer has asked the hotel`s management to prepare a chicken `salan` (dish with gravy) with rice, roti and nan. Besides, a separate vegetarian dish will be prepared for Shoaib`s guests from India. `Gulab jamuns` and `ras malai` will be served as dessert."We have a booking (by Shoaib) for 500 guests on April 22," Pearl Continental`s public relations manager Alia Tariq told reporters. She said the hotel would have to implement the Punjab government`s order to serve only one dish at wedding and `walima` ceremonies. "Though Shoaib and Sania`s marriage is of VVIP nature, we will have to implement the government`s order unless there is some other direction from the authorities," Tariq said."We will also provide one night`s stay to the couple as it is part of our walima package. Of course we will decorate their room well and give them a rosy reception," she said. The PML-N-led government of Punjab province introduced the one-dish rule for marriage functions as part of a slew of austerity measures. PTI