PESHAWAR: Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif on Thursday assured his support for drafting rules under the already prepared Hindu Marriage Act.

“This is a matter of justice and equality,” he stated, pledging to advocate for presenting the proposed rules in the meeting of the provincial cabinet in the coming days.

He was talking to a National Lobbying Delegation for Minority Rights who met him here to discuss the matters related to framing of rules under the Hindu Marriage Act.

The meeting brought together representatives from across Pakistan. Ex-provincial minister for minority affairs Wazir Zada and focal person for the delegation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haroon Sarab Diyal was joined by Sheezan William from Balochistan, Pushpa Kumari from Sindh, Romana Bashir from Islamabad, and Habkook Gill and Kalyan Singh from Punjab.

Together, they highlighted the growing challenges faced by the Hindu community due to the absence of rules under the relevant act.

During the session, the delegation emphasised the urgent need to frame rules under the Hindu Marriage Act. They highlighted how the absence of these rules had left the Hindu citizens without a proper legal framework for registering marriages, causing significant challenges for the community.

National Lobbying Delegation for Minority Rights expressed optimism following the meeting. “This is a step forward in ensuring that Hindu citizens can exercise their rights with dignity and legal protection,” said Haroon Sarab Diyal.

“We are extremely thankful to the provincial adviser on Information for his commitment and positive response in advocating the rights of minority communities,” he added.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2025