Pak approves Hindu Marriage Bill after decades of inaction


Feb 9 (PTI): After decades of delay and inaction, the Hindu minority community in Pakistan will soon have a marriage law as a parliamentary panel has unanimously approved the Hindu Marriage Bill.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice yesterday passed the final draft of Hindu Marriage Bill 2015, where five Hindu lawmakers were specially invited.
Though the delaying tactics continued almost to the last, the committee adopted the bill unanimously after making two amendments to fix the minimum age of the marrying male and female at 18 and making the law applicable to the whole country, Dawn news reported.

The bill will now be tabled in the National Assembly where it has fair chances of being passed as the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party is supporting it.

Committee Chairman Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk expressed regret over the long-drawn tactical delay in framing family law for the Hindu community.

"It was unbecoming of us Muslims in general and the political leaders in particular. We were required to facilitate the legislation, not obstruct it. If we 99 per cent of the population are afraid of one per cent, we need to look deep inside what we claim to be and what we are," he said.

Virk and ruling PML-N lawmaker Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani had been pushing for approving the bill but members of other parliamentary parties persisted with raising objections.

Shagufta Jumani of Pakistan People's Party and Ali Mohammad Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf raised many queries about minimum age of a Hindu girl to be married and the status of marriage if any of the partners converted to Islam.

"Under the banner of Pakistan Hindu Council, I arrange mass marriage of around 100 girls every year and we clearly deny marriage of even an orphan who is under 18. People do not insist on marrying anyone below 18 years," Vankwani said.

He wanted to drop a clause in the bill that said the marriage will be nullified if any of the partners converted to Islam. It was inserted by the Council of Islamic Ideology when the bill was sent for 'Sharia vetting' some six months ago.

"Why a Hindu and a Muslim or Christian cannot live together as happily married couple?," Vankwani said.

His suggestion to drop the clause met stern resistance from Jumani and Khan after which Committee Chairman stopped the discussion to avoid "total collapse" of the meeting.

"If Hindu boys and girls elsewhere can marry into other religions why this cannot be a reality here?," Vankwani said, adding that open-mindedness is required in the society.

After the 18th Amendment, issues relating to religious minorities and their family matters became provincial subjects. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have passed the requisite resolutions, but the Sindh and Punjab assemblies have not yet done so.

  

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Comment on this article

  • John, Udupi

    Wed, Feb 10 2016

    I specifically liked this para!- "It was unbecoming of us Muslims in general and the political leaders in particular. We were required to facilitate the legislation, not obstruct it. If we 99 per cent of the population are afraid of one per cent, we need to look deep inside what we claim to be and what we are," he said'.

    This applies to bakhts and their masters very well! . Hope they will not say that this legislation was passed because of Modiji's pressure due to his visit!!!

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh, Udupi

    Wed, Feb 10 2016

    This shameless people reduced minority to almost zero.. when it is almost zero they suddenly want to show the world that they are concerned on this almost zero percent.. what a bloddy logic... In india, the sicckular vultures are busy politicizing every issue as minority and majority

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • John Tauro, M'luru / Kwt

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    A welcome move by Pak! But will this law in anyway improve the living conditions of minorities? Will they have the freedom and liberty that minorities enjoy in India? Will it at least lessen intolerance, discrimination and persecution of minorities in that country?

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • tom Cat, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Jai ho modi because feku eat kebab at sharif house, this is possible.

    next sharif will visit india and price of petrol will come down to congress days.

    I'm dreaming right.

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Ramesh S, MANGALORE

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    ..Yes, after Hindus/Sikhs/ Christians reduced to 2% from 25% they decided it..It took more than 60 years to pass Hindu marriage bill..is this reservation/quota to think about it!!..some reports says Christians in pakistan have the Christian Marriage Act 1870..even after several request Govt not ready to ammend it..

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • MASTHAN, DUB

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    NOW I THINK. ADVANI AND ANUPAM KHER WILL SETTLE IN PAKISTAN.

    DisAgree [11] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alphonso Rodrigues, Udupi

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Masthan..The ones you mentioned are married, Why not Rahul Khandi, he is the most eligible 'young' bachelor, mite find his soul mate in Pak.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Raj shetty, UAE

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    But for whoom???? Hindu population in Pak is below to 1 % they also killed and converted daily, first of all give them good life then they may think of Marriage.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Jai Modi

    DisAgree [7] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    As if in India there are no rules, regulations, rights and laws given to every citizens by the constitution of India. But just like BJP has its own rules, regulations, laws and rights to the citizens, Pakistan also has similar rogue and terrorist elements like BJP who enforce thier own law on its subjects. For them parliament is one historical structure that's all.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Manju, Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Thank you MODIJI...

    We have voted the first right PM after independence.

    Jai Ho Modi, Long Live Modi, God bless Modi.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • John, Udupi

    Wed, Feb 10 2016

    Manju, ask Modiji to pass Jan Lokpal bill and also bring down fuel prices to international level!. Why essential drug prices Increased!?

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alwyn, Canadian

    Wed, Feb 10 2016

    Manju what is the use of saying jai to modI. So many hindus are killed just because they are hindus in Pakistan or gun point converted of hindu girls. Why you say jai. Can modI can help those people from such crime. Christians are suffering everywhere makes no difference to modI nor Nawaz sherif. So why simply do a dalaligiri for useless fellows

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Promenade Road,Frazer Town,B'lore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Welcome step of Pakistan and all the best.

    DisAgree Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse

  • Hussain, Abudhabi

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    When cross firing happens at border or any attack, blame UPA

    When something good happens chant Jai Ho Modi

    Bhakts logic since 21 months

    DisAgree [23] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • bhuvan, kavoor

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    u belong to joker pappu gang?

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Fredrick Correa, Pernal/Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Hope the parliament will pass the Bill. Let us hope and pray for it. It is a great moment for the minorities in Pakistan. This Bill will protect the Hindu marriages since the deadly clause "if any partner embraces Islam, the marriage will be automatically nullified." This clause in effect meant that if any partner embraced Islam, that person could marry again without even divorcing the first partner!

    DisAgree [2] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Dharmender will be very HAPPY ...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • jeevan, mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Thank you MODIJI...

    DisAgree [28] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Clifford Fernandes, Toronto

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Hope marrying and abandoning wife without divorce clause may not be there in the new law.

    DisAgree [11] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alphonso Rodrigues, Udupi

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    So now Pakis are also into minority appeasing??

    DisAgree [8] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rakib, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Nice to hear from Pakistan unfortunately at same time in India we are going in opposite direction.Those who appreciating this want to scrap personnel law for religious minorities in India.What a hypocrites

    DisAgree [28] Agree [13] Reply Report Abuse

  • jeevan, mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Do you know ???

    At the time of independence, Pakistan did have 22% of hindu population and present number is nearly 2%.

    But in India 1951 - hindus were 85% muslim 9.9%- after 60 yrs hindu population under 80% and muslim population over 15%-

    I AM PROUD TO SAY MY INDIA IS HOME FOR ALL..

    DisAgree [8] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rakib, Mangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    jeevan, mangalore
    I read your comment for appreciating Modi and you were looking happy to hear about Hindu Marriage act passed in Pakistan. And for you i have a simple question are you favoring Muslim marriage act under Muslim personal law in India or still support for Uniform civil code?

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Praveen, Mulki

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    This is because of ??????
    Samj ne wale kho ishara kafi

    DisAgree [3] Agree [23] Reply Report Abuse

  • Amin Bhoja, Patte / Riyadh

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Modi ... 3D effect !!!

    DisAgree [9] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • SB, Mlore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Jossey
    I think India diplomacy is working.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    SB, Dharmendra & Kumara Swamy will be very Happy ...

    DisAgree [3] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Whenever Diplomacy worked we got screwed in Kargil & Pathankot ...

    DisAgree [11] Agree [14] Reply Report Abuse

  • SB, Mlore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    We unscrewed the situation in Kargil, whose situation was screwed all the years before that under your great Govt. The Pakis who were allowed to march until kargil till then were sent back. Just see what your govt has done to Kashmir, half of it or more is called POK because of great playboy Chacha.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • hemanth, bangalore

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    What to do Jossy.. We have inside enemies.. Who always wish to see India's Failure... They are more dangerous then external enemies.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lydia Lobo, Kadri

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    So, hereafter there will be reduction in abducting grown Hindu girls, forcefully converting them to Islam and marrying them ?

    I am just asking. Diplomacy that you are so confident of, that worked out to bring this Bill - you see ?

    DisAgree [11] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Langoolacharya., Belman/Washington,DC.

    Tue, Feb 09 2016

    Go to www.youtube.com and watch rinkle kumari case...very sad,brutal and shameful...there are many cases...

    No doubt youtube was banned in Pakistan till recently...

    ...JH...

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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