LAHORE: In a province-wide crackdown against marriage halls violating one-dish and operating hours rules, the Punjab government sealed 47 marriage halls, imposed fines amounting to Rs 3.7 million and made three arrests.

On the directives of caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Mohsin Naqvi, a province-wide crackdown on marriage halls violating regulations regarding one-dish policies and operating hours was launched. On Saturday, the local administrations sealed the marriage halls across different districts and imposed fines for non-compliance. Additionally, 12 cases were filed against the hall management, leading to the arrest of three individuals.

Specifically in Lahore Division, 22 wedding halls faced closure for violating regulations; FIRs were lodged against the management of 10 halls, resulting in the apprehension of three individuals. A collective fine of Rs 260,000 was imposed on four halls. The Rawalpindi Division witnessed inspections of 95 marriage halls, with fines amounting to Rs 150,000 imposed on five establishments for breaching the Marriage Functions Act.

In Multan Division, scrutiny of 98 marriage halls led to fines of Rs 400,000 in four instances of regulation violation. Within Faisalabad Division, the management of six marriage halls faced fines amounting to Rs 675,000 for flouting the one-dish rule whereas the administration in Bahawalpur Division sealed 21 wedding halls and imposed fines amounting to Rs 1.75 million. In Gujranwala Division, two marriage halls were sealed and another was fined Rs 50,000.

Furthermore, the administration in Dera Ghazi Khan Division inspected 1,358 wedding halls and subsequently imposed fines to the tune of Rs 315,000 for violating the regulation. It also sealed two halls and registered cases against two others for violating the one-dish rule. The management of two marriage halls in Sargodha Division was fined Rs 100,000 for non-compliance with the one-dish rule.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023