President says couples spent more than a decade in state care and are now financially independent
Five young adults raised under state care at the Child Welfare and Protection Bureau were married Saturday at its Lahore office, entering married life after spending more than a decade without meeting their biological families.
A press release issued by the office today said the nikah ceremony was held at its premises.
Speaking on the occasion, President Sarah Ahmad said the couples had been residing at the institution for more than 10 years and were now in their late 20s.
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“These children have no information about their parents or close relatives,” he said, adding that the office had taken on the role of guardian in their lives.
He highlighted that during their stay the children not only received formal education but were also trained in various vocational skills. “Now they have jobs and are able to lead a dignified and independent life,” he said.
Ahmad noted that this was not the first initiative of its kind, as the office had already arranged marriages for two boys and two girls raised under its care.
The ceremony was attended by Director General Nadeem Akhtar, Director Programs Hasnain Khalid, Director Administration Waqar Azeem along with office staff and children.
Extending her best wishes to the newlyweds, the president said she prayed for their prosperous future and expressed her gratitude to all those who contributed to making the ceremony possible.
