1,000 guests and a single dish at Sania-Shoaib reception

LAHORE - Over 1,000 guests at the wedding reception of Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik were served just one dish and the celebrations at a hotel in this Pakistani city came to an end sharp at 10 p.m.

Sania was wearing a white gown while Shoaib wore a black suit at the “walima” Tuesday attended by over 1,000 people including sportsmen, politicians, celebrities, businessmen and others, at the Pearl Continental Hotel here.

Shoaib married Sania April 12 in India’s Hyderabad city after settling a divorce case with his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui April 7.

However, the newly-wed couple seemed annoyed at the overcrowding by guests Tuesday, the Daily Times reported.

Hundreds of policemen had been deployed in and around the hotel while plainclothes policemen were also present at the function. Policemen also tried to maintain smooth flow of traffic.

Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer, Federal Minister for Population Welfare Firdous Ashiq Awan, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son Qadir were among the guests.

Earlier Tuesday, a case filed against the couple for allegedly violating the marriage laws was dismissed by the Lahore High Court.

Sheikh Hasan Sheraz, a resident of Gujranwala, had filed a suit Monday with the court stating that Malik and Mirza had violated the one-dish law, misused electricity and continued their walima ceremony till 1.00 a.m. in Sialkot, in total violation of the country’s marriage laws.

Pakistan’s provincial governments recently passed the one-dish law saying there should no be no ostentation at weddings that should be austere and keep in mind the present tough situation in the country.