Kabul, Aug 17 (IANS): As many as 140 Afghan couples tied the knot at a mass wedding in Kabul, a local media reported on Saturday.

The mass ceremony took place on Friday in western Kabul, Xinhua news agency quoted Arianna News TV as saying.

The ceremony was sponsored by Hazrat-e-Abul Fazl organization, a local charity group.

The aim of the event to cut back on lavish expenses of wedding parties as young generation in the war-affected nation are suffering grave poverty.

"I am so glad for attending this great wedding ceremony, I ask all citizens to prevent lavish expenses," Ismail Khaliqi, a groom at the wedding, was quoted as saying.

Najiba, a bride who joined the ceremony was also joyful for the mass wedding.

"My wedding was more glorious compared to others. We did a great job. We must be a good example to the others," she said.

Families taking part in the event also welcomed holding such weddings and called on the wealthy people to financially support poor families to get married.

Highly lavish wedding parties have become very common in Afghanistan, among the poverty-stricken people that can cost thousands of US dollars.