ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly in Thursday’s session passed ‘The Hindu Marriage Bill, 2016’, which provides a mechanism for registration of Hindu marriage, including conditions for contracting the marriage and procedure for its dissolution.

The Lower House with the thin presence of lawmakers passed the bill moved by Minister for Human Rights Kamran Michael. This bill has already been passed by the Upper House of Parliament.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bills says: “the object of this bill is to codify the law for regulating the marriages and termination thereof among Hindus family and the matter ancillary and incidental thereto”. It says the provision of the said act has been applied to irretrievable breakdown of marriage in Hindus. It was also mentioned that this act will be applicable to all citizen of Pakistan who is Hindu by religion.

According to the clause ‘financial security of wife and children’, if a wife respondent in a petition for termination of the marriage by decree, she may oppose the grant of decree.

The clause ‘Separated person may marry again’ says: “when a Hindu marriage has been annulled by a decree of nullity of termination as the case may be and the time for appeal has expired or an appeal has been preferred but has been dismissed”.

The clause ‘Hindu widow are entitled to remarry’, says: “a Hindu shall have right to re-marry of her own will and consent after the death of her husband provided a period of six months has lapsed after the husband’s death”. The bill will pave the way for the adoption of a comprehensive

and widely-acceptable family law for Hindus living in the country.

According to the bill, it will help Hindu women to get documentary proof of their marriage. The Bill prohibits the marriage of minors by prescribing the minimum age of eighteen years as a condition precedent for contracting marriage.

It further says that there will be penalties for violating the provisions of the bill.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Senator Kamran Michael,  in a statement, said the Ministry of Human Rights took lead to protect the rights of minorities and after obtaining NOC from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, acted as administrative Ministry to process the Bill.