THIS is apropos of the news item (March 24), regarding Peshawar High Court directives to the law ministry to make necessary corrections in the entries of 'nikahnama' pertaining to dowry so as to remove certain confusions that often cause delay in disposal of family/matrimonial cases.

In this regard I would like to state that the filling in of the 'nikahnama' at the time of a wedding was made compulsory by the Family Law Ordinance 1961.

This form contains around 25 entries. Many people do not fill all entries and just cross out many entries as they do not understand the importance of these entries.

The 'nikahnama' is an essential document which makes the marriage legal. Therefore, all its entries need to be filled up at the time of marriage.

However, the form needs a further review and modification according to the changes that have occurred during the last 50 years.

Many of the entries need clarity; the form also needs additional entries pertaining to the NIC number, 'nikah' performed over the telephone or the Internet or through SIM, as well as pertaining to the marital position of the groom (single, married or divorcer), etc.

The entries regarding a 'wali' (columns Nos. 7 and 9) may also need review as the groom and the bride, who both are of marriageable age, can conduct their marriage at their will and do not require a 'wali'.

As regards gift items or 'jahez' presented to the bride by her parents and relatives at the time of marriage, there is another ordinance called 'Jahez Ordinance', promulgated during the 1970s, which made it compulsory to record all 'jahez' items.

I hope the law ministry, as well as the Council of Islamic Ideology, would direct their efforts towards updating the 'nikkahnama' according to the requirement of the time.

AMIN VALLIANI
Karachi