Govt hints at reopening marriage halls

Law minister clarifies proposals being considered while ensuring SOPs

LAHORE:

Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat on Tuesday indicated that the province’s marriage halls may be reopened after Eidul Azha.

Basharat was responding to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawmaker Muneebul Haq, who on a point of order in Punjab Assembly highlighted the financial situation of the marriage hall owners. “The miseries of the people are increasing day by day and it has become difficult for them to survive. It is requested that the government give the exact date of reopening the marriage halls,” MPA Muneebul Haq said.

The minister highlighted that there was a proposal of reopening the marriage halls after Eidul Azha. “Strict implementation will be ensured of government’s standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he maintained.

On another point of order, PML-N MPA Kanwal Liaquat said the government had issued a notification to seal those mosques which would neither install CCTV cameras nor hire security guards. She added that the move could possibly create anarchy if mosques were sealed.

Basharat clarified to the House that neither mosques were being sealed nor did the government had any plan to do so.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2020.