Members of CCJP addressing a press conference. PHOTO: NNI
The Catholic National Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) on Thursday organised a press conference for the launch of a report titled Proposed Principles of Family and Personal Laws for Religious Minorities in Pakistan. The study includes analysis of the state of minorities in the absence of personal laws.
CCJP executive director Cecil S Chaudhry, programme coordinator Arifa Shakeel and Faiz Foundation Trust Programme Manager Sarah Quershi were also present.
Shakeel said the study had investigated personal laws of various minority communities in the country. She said it explored conflicts and injustices that arose due to absence of adequate laws.
Chaudhry said lack of personal laws for Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Kalashas had created stereotypes and fed religious fundamentalism and intolerance. He said the Christian Marriage Act, 1872, the Anand Marriage Act, 1909 and the Hindu Marriage Bill, 2014 needed amendments.
“The state must also take steps to draft laws for the Kalasha community,” he said.
“Existing laws for minorities have never been implemented,” he said. “They are not entirely applicable for the needs of modern times.”
He said the research could be used for drafting and amending personal laws for religious minority communities.
The CCJP had conducted consultations and discussions with various legal experts, scholars, religious elders, community representatives and other stakeholders to draft and propose elementary principles of personal and family laws for religious minorities.
Chaudhary says these included age at the time of marriage, marriage registration, dower, dissolution of marriage, divorce, maintenance, succession and inheritance, will, adoption, child custody and illegitimacy.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2016.
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