Over 1,800 nikah registrars trained on marriage laws

Course was conducted PCSW to ensure equality in marriage documents

LAHORE: A total of 2,079 registrars completed the Training of Nikah Registrars (TNR) programme conducted by the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women.

As many as 1,835 nikah registrars, 35 union council chairmen and 209 union council secretaries completed the course for proper filing of nikah nama and the marriage registration process in Lahore.

PCSW Spokesperson Adnan Khaliq said 80 sessions were conducted between December 6 and December 20, 2017 in nine towns of Lahore. The training was conducted by PCSW officials and focused on different areas like constitutional fundamental rights, linkages with family rights, Muslim family Laws with amendments, nikah nama, registration of marriage, dower, polygamy, responsibilities of the nikah registrar, Child Marriage Restraint Act, dissolution of marriage, talaaq, khula and other grounds of divorce, arbitration council and birth registration.

During her visit to training centers, PCSW Chairperson Fauzia Viqar stated the marriage deed must be seen as an important document which enables all stakeholders to be treated equally by discouraging all forms of discrimination.

She said adequate filling of a nikah nama, in accordance with all related laws, empowered women and ensured gender balance which is the success of any relationship.

In case of a violation, all concerned can by punished as per law.  The chairperson stressed that nikah nama must be read and observed comprehensively before filing. She added this would counter early child marriages and other social taboos.

Project Manager Shahid Iqbal briefed the audience about the motives of the training and its importance. With a view to monitoring and evaluating the training, PCSW teams examined all the centres on a regular basis to ensure transparency and effectiveness of the activity. Besides this, pre and post tests were held to weigh the information of the participants. In this regard, an exercise was composed to file the nikah nama according to the law.

There participants vowed to obey all laws while filing the deed. Booklets containing all relevant laws and rights were also distributed among all registrars, chairmen, and secretaries of union councils.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2017.