TOBA TEK SINGH-A workshop took place to educate the people on marriage issues and was attended by government officials, policemen, women, marriage registrars, clerics and religious leaders.
It was held under the auspices of Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), Aizan Development Foundation and Swiss Embassy. The workshop’s discussion points included sensitisation on the law, penalties, fines and punishments and procedure to report illegal marriages to the relevant authorities. The participants highlighted the importance of birth registration and the right to education under Article 25-A of the Constitution.
Advocate Uzma Nawaz briefed the participants about national and international laws and human rights conventions about marriages. She said that early marriages go unreported and the crime was often un-attended. She said the union councils were not active in registration of marriages and births.
The union council structure needs to be active enough to register the marriages while the Nikah Khwans are responsible to cross check the age of the girl or boy before the ceremony. Jamaat-e-Islami district Ameer Maulana Rehmatullah, Dr Rahat Abbat, Gojra TMO Rana Afzal, Advocate Arif Yaqoob, Shahid and Tahir Zeshan also spoke.