Hindu community in Pakistan is living without a marriage law since 1947
Islamabad : The minority Hindu community in Pakistan, living without a marriage law since the country was founded in 1947, may get a landmark legislation soon to help them register their marriages.
The Hindus, who constitute 1.6% of Pakistan’s total population, have been struggling to get a specific law since last 67 years to get their marriages legalised and registered. Dawn reported that National Assembly Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights headed by Chaudhary Muhammad Bashir Virk is set to review this week a private member bill, namely Hindu Marriage Act 2014.
The bill was jointly presented in the parliament last year by Ramesh Lal of opposition Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Darshan of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), while a separate but similar government bill has been tabled in the parliament by Law Minister Pervaiz Rashid in March, this year. The two bills will establish rules and regulation for registration of marriage and divorce for Pakistani Hindu, as presently in the absence of such a law, Hindus in the country do not even have a legal document as proof of marriage.
The private member bills do not have express consent of the government and are rarely passed, while the government bills are moved with the backing of sitting government. In cases of importance like the proposed Hindu Marriage Act, the private member bill is usually backed by the government or the private member withdraw the bill in favour of the official law after necessary changes.
