ISLAMABAD: In a landmark All Parties Conference (APC) on ‘Christian Personal Laws’ held at a local hotel here in Islamabad, representatives from major political parties, minority community leaders, and diverse civil society groups gathered to advocate for a comprehensive revision of long-standing ‘Christian Personal Laws.’
Over two hundred participants, including PML-N, PTI, MQM, PPP, ANP, and the Quami Awami Party, along with clergy leaders, lawyers, human rights advocates, and journalists, joined forces to emphasize the need for an update to the outdated Christian Divorce Act 1869 and the Christian Marriage Act 1872.
Prominent leaders of the Christian community, supported by religious scholars, have meticulously crafted an updated draft addressing important aspects such as marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody, inheritance, and adoption.
Former PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar expressed his commitment to include this reform in the party manifesto for upcoming general elections.
The event received a boost as leaders like Shoaib Shaheen, Hassan Babar, and Sofia Saeed pledged similar commitments. Notably, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) Neelofar Bakhtiar lent her support as a keynote speaker, vowing full help from her commission.
Mahnaz Akbar Aziz, a former MNA from PML-N, underlined the significance of upholding the rights of all minorities, asserting that Christians have the liberty to demand laws aligned with their aspirations.
Urgency of Revising Laws Emphasized
Bishop Samuel Azariah, Director of the Christian Study Centre, stressed for the urgency of revising laws that no longer suit the current societal context.
Sumera Shafique, a member of the National Lobbying Delegation for Minority Rights, said that although the federal cabinet approved the bill to amend the Christian Divorce Act 1869 in 2019, its implementation is still pending. She urged the government to expedite the passage of the bill in parliament.
