'Emotional' Bakhtawar requests for prayers ahead of engagement

Ahead of her engagement ceremony today, Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari  asked tweeples and her PPP family for prayers. 

The eldest daughter of former president Asif Ali Zardari and late ex-premier Benazir  Bhutto will be exchanging rings with UAE-based businessman Mahmood Chaudhry today at a family-only ceremony at the Bilawal House in Karachi.

"Very sentimental & emotional day. So grateful for everyone’s love & prayers. Especially our PPP family who, I know, are eager to participate," she wrote in a Tweet. "This is only the beginning. Will be able to celebrate in a post-Covid world."

Who is she marrying?

Mahmood Chaudhry is the son of Mohammad Younas Choudhary and Begum Suriya Choudhary. The Choudhry's hail from the old town of Lahore, Pakistan.

 "Mr Younas migrated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1973, where through hard work he established businesses in the construction and transport industry," said the PPP in a statement. 

“Mahmood, the last born of five siblings, was born on July 28 1988, in the city of Abu Dhabi. He completed his primary education in Abu Dhabi and secondary education in the United Kingdom. Mahmood further went on to study law at the University of Durham."

The family’s primary country of residence remains the UAE where Mahmood continues to run his business in finance, tech, and construction.

The event

The outdoor ceremony will be held in the lawns of Bilawal House where the attendees are required to bring along a negative COVID-19 PCR test report taken in the past 24 hours. 

Sources said the attendees would be asked to ensure full compliance with the coronavirus SOPs. They added that a catering committee is looking after food and decorations. The venue would be ready by Thursday night.

Prior to the event, a group of Bilawal House employees have been selected to entertain the groom's family.

Sources said Zardari is personally monitoring all arrangements for his daughter's engagement.

Attendance

PPP leader Shehla Raza told reporters that the event will be attended by family only.

The bride's only brother, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, tested positive for the coronavirus a day before the event and is currently self-isolating. 

But Shehla Raza says his attendance at the engagement party cannot be ruled out. "He is consulting with the doctors on whether to attend the event or not. No decision has been made yet."

The bride's father, Zardari, is  undergoing treatment for various ailments at a private hospital and is expected to make a brief appearance. 

The dress

Despite much speculations about the bride's engagement look, there is no confirmed report on what she will be wearing.

Rumour has it, Bakhtawar will be recreating her mother's Nikkah look for one of the wedding events.