The narrow and dark alleys of the Christian Colony in 66 Quarters of the Sector G-7/2 looked gloomier and narrower Sunday afternoon as multitudes of people, families particularly women were visiting the wedding-turned-mourning site, the collapsed house of the bridegroom Sharon (Sherry) and bride Mehdak. On everyone’s tongue was the tale of the wedding that hardly lasted a night.
“I have come from Taxila” said a wedding guest with tears in her eyes “to attend the ‘Walima’ reception (the Second Day of the Marriage) of Mehak and Sherry’s wedding.”
Unfortunately, here I find myself condoling with the parents of the bridegroom, she sighed. Not only she, there were many guests who little realized the previous night’s tragedy that struck the wedding venue claiming the lives of both the bride and the bridegroom along with six others. It was only upon arrival they came to know about this.
“We returned to Islamabad late from Gujrat—bride Mehak’s hometown—and were fast asleep when the explosion occurred,” said a relative Naimat. It was so shocking, so scaring that my wife who was busy washing utensils in the kitchen dropped the teacup and glass from her hands and ran screaming in panic, he further said.
AsifMasih, the maternal uncle of Mehak said he along with Mehak’s mother and relatives had arrived early Sunday morning to attend the Walima Ceremony. Who knew that we would be seeing the dead bodies instead of a happily wed couple, he said. He was overwhelmed with grief while sharing the joy of his sister upon the wedding of her daughter. She was the apple of everyone’s eye and we were happy for her, he said with tears in eyes.
Sharon, the 23-yearold bridegroom was a sanitary employee at the CDA and had big dreams for his family, said a friend Joseph. We used to joke with him that after marriage he would forget his friends and he always replied in the affirmative teasing us, said Joseph in a choked voice.
Not only relatives, friends and guests but members of the Christian community from across the twin cities came for condolence. They visited the site, prayed to Jesus Christ for the peace and eternal blessings of the departed souls.
Christians from the Sector F-6 and even LaalKurti Rawalpindi also arrived for condolence and shed tears while standing on the debris of the collapsed house.
“O Saviour of the World, by Your cross and precious blood You have redeemed us: guard your servant and help him,” some of them prayed in whispers.
HanifMasih father of Sherry or Sharon received the mourners in tears and sighs expressing his gratitude for their support. This is a loss that is not easy to bear and will stay for the rest of my life, he said.
