LAHORE, Sept 15: The Council of Islamic Ideology has recommended the Punjab government to include a new clause in the marriage document (Nikahnama) to end gender discrimination in it. In the existing document, marital status of a bride — whether, unmarried, divorcee or widow — is asked but the groom is not made to submit such information.

The CII has recommended that the same question should also be included for the groom under a new clause in column 21 of the document.

It also recommend inclusion of two more columns, one each for bride and groom, seeking information about number of children from their earlier spouse(s), if any.

The recommendations came in the wake of a reference sent by the Punjab Assembly on amending the Nikahnama in this regard. The CII in its 157th meeting approved the recommendation and informed the assembly speaker through a letter issued with the signatures of council chairman Dr Muhammad Khalid Masood.

The recommendations were laid before the house as a special report on Thursday evening just seconds before its proceedings were adjourned for Friday (Sept 16) morning.

PARLIAMENTARY PARTIES’ MEETINGS: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has asked MPAs to ensure their presence in the assembly session and take keen interest in the legislative process.

He was speaking at parliamentary party meeting here on Thursday. He welcomed new entrants into the PML and said that they would be given the same status and respect that was accorded to other office-bearers and party workers.

Meanwhile, the PML-N MPAs at its parliamentary meeting reposed confidence in the leadership of Sharif brothers and it was announced that Rana Sanaullah Khan was party’s parliamentary leader in the house.

It authorized Mr Khan to perform his constitutional duties by filing defection references against PML-N turncoats and demanded that the speaker should send these references to the chief election commissioner as required in the law.