KABUL, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- A total of 44 grooms and brides tied the knot at a mass wedding event in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, the state-owned Bakhtar News Agency reported on Friday.
The ceremony was made possible through a charity foundation, with each newlywed couple receiving 19 essential household items as a gift, the official media outlet cited local officials as saying.
In a country grappling with high unemployment, economic hardship, and the burden of costly dowries and extravagant wedding traditions, such ceremonies offer a practical alternative for young couples who would otherwise be forced to delay marriage for years.
The Afghan interim government has consistently called on citizens to avoid lavish spending on weddings and to adopt simpler, more affordable practices in line with cultural values. ■
