Dear Jack,

Thanks for your lovely letter, the loviest ever written by anybody on such an occasion. Not only we but also you are to be congratulated for not having given way to foul whispers and kept your faith in the sincerity of my inventions. Half of our engagement we owe to you. In love as in war, whispers can cost lives.

Yours sincerely,

Belly.

Dear Betty,

I have heard whispers spreading in four corners which are linking your name with a certain gentleman in military service. And, today, I have been told outright that you have been engaged to him. Let me be one of the first to offer you my congratulations. Needless to say, he must be a very lucky man and he, too, deserves, congratulations. I am sure you will make a wonderful housewife and I can imagine you presiding over a delight household to which, I trust, I may at times be invited. I wish both of you a very happy and successful life.

Yours sincerely,

Jack Morris.

Dear Saira,

You have made your side of the picture clear. Now it is my turn, I’ll wait and see till you marry me or some body else before I find an alternative match.

Yours sincerely,

Sabir.

Dear Sabir,

You have asked me to reply you you in Yes or No. I fear the question of marriage cannot be answered so simply and so quickly. You must agree that a woman must feel the ground on which she is required to tread before putting her foot down or up. I like you exceedingly. You know that perfectly well. But honestly speaking I do not know yet whether I love you. There is a gulf between loving and liking, also between loving and marrying. I like you but do not know whether I love you, still less whether I can marry you. So do not hurry up a yes-or no decision. The other side of the picture is that you may one day rise and find that I am not quite all you imagine now, and then you may end u in frustration. I should hate to see you hate a thing you look like a cat in the bag. Full knowledge of each other should precede a successful marriage. I know that this she didn’t-say-yes-she-didn’t-say-no business is unsatisfactory but there is no alternative to it. May I make a suggestion? Let’s go on writing to each other as before, and see how it works out in the near future. But no ties yet. If either of us meets anyone else, the other should not grudge. But do not think I have already met someone equal or superior to you. I haven’t met anyone as yet. If I do I’ll tell you at once. I expect you to do the same — for this is my risk as well as yours.

Yours sincerely,

Saira Bano.

Dear Wasim,

You have paid me the greatest tribute any girl can receive, and the least I can do is to give you my answer promptly and frankly. I am sorry, the answer is No. Please excuse me for having wasted your time and given you false hopes. Actually I did not know the answer myself. Only yesterday I came to the final decision that we cannot be happy in marriage due to irreconcilability between temperaments of both of us. We have too many sharp edges of character and I don’t think we shall be able to fit well into each other’s life. Please excuse me for having disappointed you.

Yours faithfully,

Salma.

Dear Salma,

We have had long correspondence and also we have met several times but I have failed to get any positive repsonse from you so that I do not know at all where do I stand in the matter. Kindly let me know frankly whether you want to marry me or not?

Yours sincerely,

Wasim.

To,

Box No. 25894,

C/o The Times of Pakistan,

Islamabad.

Dear Madam,

With reference to your advertisement I offer myself as a candidate for marriage and gie the following facts about myself:-

1. Age–33 Years.
2. A Punjabi youth—christan.
3. Colour—very fair.
4. Height—5’5″
5. Education—M.Sc.
6. Employment—Lecturer in Quaid-i-Azam College, Hyderabad, getting Rs. 45000/-
7. The only child of my parents.
8. Mother—dead.
9. Father—Deputy Director of Agriculture, Punjab.
10. Own landed property in the Punjab.
11. Early marriage desired.

Further information, if desired, shall be sent and also a copy of photograph on response from your side. Kindly send your details, also a photograph now, if interested.

Yours faithfully,

Joseph Masih.

Here is a typical advertisement:-

Catholic girl 29 years, B.Sc., B.Ed., slim, pretty, well up in domestic duties, desires suitable match. Please reply Box. 25894. The Times of Pakistan, Islamabad.

To,

The Advertiser No. 826333,

C/o The Times of Pakistan,

Islamabad.

Dear Sir,

With reference to your advertisement for a suitable bride I have the honour to send you the following details about my daughter:-

1. Age—20 Years.
2. Height—-5 Feet.
3. Colour dark maroon very fair.
4. Education—B.Sc.
5. Caste—Sheikh Siddiqi
6. Health Capsal good, never suffered from any disease.
7. Employed in Allama Iqbal Institute of Arts getting Rs. 3,000/- a month.
8. Brothers—three, one a bank manager, second a doctor, third a college professor.
9. SIsters–two; married, one to a Civil Engineer; the other to a Major in the Army.
10. Father—retired, getting a pension of Rs. 2500/- a month.
11. We live in our own house at A / 222, Defence Colony, Lahore.

Should you feel inclined to proceed further in the matter, kindly send details about yourself along with a photo so that we can make up our minds.

Yours faithfully,

Rasheed Ahmed Siddiqi.

Here is a typical advertisement:-

Wanted a pretty bride for a Digamber Sheikh Siddiqi youth aged 21 years, robust health, industious, educated, running expanding business, most respectable and very influential family. Please reply Box 826333. The Times of Pakistan, Islamabad.