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Draft bill seeks end to forced marriages of Hindu girls

Irfan Haider Published June 27, 2014

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights on Friday decided to finalise and approve a comprehensive draft regarding the Hindu Marriage Bill 2014 in its next meeting to stop forced marriages of Hindu girls with Muslim men.

According to the draft, girls belonging to the Hindu minority will not be allowed to marry below the age of 18.

The committee meeting was chaired by MNA Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk and was attended by its members and officials of the concerned Ministry of Law and Justice.

The secretary law told committee members that the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights has conducted a series of consultations with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, the relevant federal ministries, divisions and National Commission on the Status of Women, to finalise a draft for the Hindu Marriage Bill 2014.

He said that the draft is more comprehensive and within constitutional limits while the bill is in accordance with the wishes of the Hindu community.

Virk said that the committee should also invite MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar to finalise a more comprehensive draft of the bill in this regard.

When contacted, PML-N MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar said that he had already discussed the draft of the bill with the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Sherani. The CII chairman agreed with the contents of the draft bill in this regard, he added.

“It has been suggested in the bill that a Muslim will be unable to marry a Hindu girl within three-and-half years of separation from her husband,” he informed.

The draft bill recommends that National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) should issue computerised marriage registration certificates to Hindu couples.

Meanwhile the minimum requirements to get the certificate will be to submit copies of the CNICs of the groom, bride, and their parents.

It will also be important for Hindu couples to submit a copy of the marriage certificate issued by a pandit or Hindu Council along with a copy of the pandit’s CNIC who solemnised the marriage.

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Atif Ali

Jun 27, 2014 08:10pm

Good work. We must protect minorities in Pakistan and give them equal rights as citizens of Pakistan.

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syed

Jun 27, 2014 08:11pm

This is interesting, majority of the time when Hindu girl married a Muslim was with her wil and it was proven in the supreme court of Pakistan in front of registrar. Lot of non-Muslim women converts after fall in love with Muslim boy. This is only a political move

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SMI

Jun 27, 2014 08:21pm

Stop all forced marriages not specific to any religion

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Riaz

Jun 27, 2014 08:25pm

Why is this rule no applicable to Muslim marriages? CII was trying to implement laws to allow marriages of muslim minor girls. What kind of double standard is this?

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rashid zaidi

Jun 27, 2014 08:59pm

Good start this rule should be applicable to all besides the minorities.Young girls should not be forced into marriage by anyone the law needs to be implemented everywhere as this is a common practice. Forcing Hindu girls to marry Muslims is outright unlawful. People intimidating poor folks to do so should get maximum penalty of the law. Minorities need to be protected especially as they are the responsibility of the majority to make sure of that.

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KRana@Seoul

Jun 27, 2014 09:15pm

Great job

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Silajit

Jun 27, 2014 09:16pm

Thinking of closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. Given the ridiculously low percentages of Hindus in Pakistan today after what they were at Partition time, this is window dressing and even at that, it is very unimpressive. Pakistan is a Muslim country that is blatantly pro Muslim (and others can take a hike if they want). So, if others live there, it sucks to be them. Even the preamble to the constitution is peppered with religious stuff. Sorry guys, I know you're trying to fix it. And I appreciate the baby steps. Unfortunately, it is now a Taliban state. Hopefully that little applause there makes your day however.

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Sunil

Jun 27, 2014 09:38pm

What if the Hindu girls parents are threatened, which usually happened or happens? The girl has no choice, has to save her parents, "nod" to the marriage.

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Jun 27, 2014 10:36pm

Why Hindu girls only? Are they not Pakistani? Why not one law for everyone. shame on you

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Shahryar Shirazi

Jun 27, 2014 10:43pm

First of all, this law should be for all Pakistanis. Second, I doubt that a bride is wiser at 18, but not at 17.5 - The age should be bumped up say 21 or 22 and should be tied to educational qualification too. A 20 year old college grad is much more wiser than a 22 year old illiterate.

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amer

Jun 27, 2014 10:46pm

Good work, Pakistan.. we need to hear some good news out of the country. Hindus should be respected, they are citizens just like everyone. There should be no room for religious preference in PK.

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Ahmed

Jun 27, 2014 11:57pm

The % of hindus in pakistan dropped from 10% (during partition) to 1% (now). This was because of forced conversions or killings. So, its too late now to bring any changes in the system since we have eliminated them anyway.

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maryam

Jun 28, 2014 12:35am

Well done!! I hope this will show the world we respect our minorities... Good step taken

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Deepak

Jun 28, 2014 01:14am

Very good move. This bill should be approved and in the world it is not allowed any where for a minor to get married. They are not supposed to take their own decision. Mind wash is very common in Pk, when they can mind wash youn gesters or others for suicide attacks than its not impossible for them to mind wash minor girls and agree for marriages and then prove marriage by will. This should be stopped!

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Taimoor Khan

Jun 28, 2014 01:38am

Correct me if I am wrong, during the times of Khilafats of rightly guided ones, and perhaps during the time of Prophet (PBUH), it was norm that the minorities and their matters were judged and dealt with according to their own faith, ways and believes. Lets amend constitution of Pakistan to cater for every single minority according to their own wishes. We have a very tiny population of minorities native to Pakistan, its imperative that they are protected in every way. Its not just their basic human right but also the way of our religion Islam.

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Moby

Jun 28, 2014 01:39am

Wonderful - so the bill protect Hindu girls from forcible marriages (read child rape) but no law to protect minors of other religions? What about muslim child brides? It is ok for them to endure rape?

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Moby

Jun 28, 2014 01:39am

@syed And you know this because? It should be illegal to marry of children of any religion.

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Shahdev

Jun 28, 2014 01:53am

Good work for community .

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Pramod

Jun 28, 2014 03:42am

@Ahmed Slight change in % they were close to 20 % of the total population.

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Chander Kolhi

Jun 28, 2014 11:10am

Its good to hear. But everyone knows it well that in Pakistan there is presence of law but absence of its implementation. Most of our laws are limited to books and minds only although for a success its implementation is required. I pray that this will soon be passed and will be implemented strictly so that minorities will get justice.

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Nikhil

Jun 28, 2014 03:10pm

@syed Get your facts right. this is to avoid under-age marriage of hindu girls and I am sure you would agree that girls below the age of 18 are not mature enough to take this big decision on their own.

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