Senate Standing Committee agreed for the exclusion of disputed clause of Hindu marriage act

Lahore: Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights has agreed for the exclusion of disputed clause related to Hindu marriage act on the insistence of Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council and Member National Assembly. On the special invitation, Dr Ramesh Vankwani on Wednesday exclusively attended the meeting which was chaired by Senator Nasreen Jalil at Parliament House.

Dr Ramesh kumar said that since from the establishment of Pakistan, peace loving Hindu community was demanding for protection of their rights through Hindu Marriage Act. Lauding the role of parliament, he said that this historical bill must be approved unanimously.

While representing Hindu community living across the country, Dr. Ramesh informed committee members about the concerns of the controversial clause 12(iii) in the marriage act. “The marriage below eighteen years of age is not acceptable in any religion and society” he said. Termination of marriage due to religious conversion is a serious matter and it could accelerate the ongoing events of forced religious conversions, he further emphasized. Dr. Ramesh Vankwani requested Senate committee members for deletion of this clause 12(iii) from the recently-presented Hindu Marriage Act, in National Assembly.

He was of the view that the recent Hindu marriage act presented in Sindh Assembly is actually related to marriage registration and he already had made arrangements for registration one year ago from NADRA as per Supreme Court orders. “For the unanimous approval of Hindu Marriage Bill, provincial assemblies approved articles 144 and Supreme Court had played a pivotal role in this regard,” he said, adding that Sindh and Balochistan assemblies passed the resolution and refered this important matter to the Federal.

On the occasion, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Barrister Zafarullah along with other members strongly supported Dr Ramesh Kumar’s stance and said purpose of this Hindu Marriage act is to provide sense of protection to the Hindu community and concerns being shown by Hindu leader Dr Ramesh Kumar Vankwani should be removed. After further discussion, the Senate Standing Committee agreed to the exclusion of the controversial clause.