Dhee Rani Program a Historic Welfare Initiative of CM Punjab

Farzana Chaudhry, Lahore
LAHORE, Pakistan — Punjab province distributed financial assistance worth Rs. 200,000 to deserving brides at a mass wedding ceremony in Hafizabad, part of a provincial welfare initiative the government says has helped thousands of families over the past two years.
Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Bait-ul-Maal Punjab Sohail Shaukat Butt attended the collective marriage ceremony organized by the Social Welfare Department, describing the Dhee Rani Program as a historic initiative.
“The Dhee Rani Program has become not only a historic and exemplary initiative for Punjab but for the entire country,” Butt said, adding that the program provides real support to deserving segments of society.
The minister said the program includes deserving and middle-class girls from across Punjab without discrimination based on color, race, religion, nationality, or sect.
During the past two years, the initiative has successfully arranged marriages for 8,000 girls, with the target increased to 10,000 for the coming year, Butt said.
He praised Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif for launching what he called revolutionary programs for public welfare and development.
“The Chief Minister is working day and night for the betterment and welfare of the people, and the Dhee Rani Program is a practical example of this vision,” Butt said.
The minister contrasted his government’s programs with opposition parties, saying that while rivals promoted “a politics of abuse, hatred and chaos,” the present government has introduced genuine public service projects.
He challenged the governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces to present similar initiatives where public welfare and development work is clearly visible.
At the ceremony’s conclusion, the provincial minister and other guests distributed ATM cards worth Rs. 200,000 each to brides beginning their married lives. The financial assistance aims to help families cover wedding expenses and establish new households.
The Dhee Rani Program is among several welfare initiatives launched by Punjab’s provincial government targeting low-income families across Pakistan’s most populous province.