“If a country doesn't recognise minority rights and human rights, including women's rights, you will not have the kind of stability and prosperity that is possible.”-Hilary Clinton.

With passing time, religious tolerance has deteriorated and religious freedom violations have increased in the world. Talk about world’s super power, the United States, which has elected a person whose manifesto revolves around making America great again by wiping out Muslims from the country.

According to a US government report, hate crimes in India against religious minorities have escalated dramatically since 2014. India is a diverse country with a constitution that provides legal equality for its citizens irrespective of their religion and prohibits religion-based discrimination.

A report was launched by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in 2013 that takes stock of Pakistan’s performance in the realms of legislation, justice, law-enforcement, fundamental rights and individual freedom, status of vulnerable groups like women, children, religious minorities, the underprivileged and refugees. It states that Pakistan became “a more dangerous country” for religious minorities.  

However, the Punjab Assembly passed a landmark legislation to regulate marriages of the minority Sikh community in the province and Pakistan has become the first country in the world to introduce legislation for the registration of Sikh marriages. People are right in calling it a landmark bill as in India, Sikh marriages have always been registered under the Hindu Marriage Act despite the fact that India claims to be the largest secular state. Pakistan is now the only country in the world where a separate Sikh marriage bill has been made. ‘Anand Karaj Marriages Act 2017’ is going to provide legal status to Sikh marriages in Pakistan's Punjab and this new bill has replaced the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, that was passed by the British.

‘Anand Karaj Marriages Act 2017’ has set the minimum age for Sikh marriages for both male and female at 18 years. Every marriage between Sikhs shall be registered under the Act. The bridegroom and the bride shall fill the Anand Karaj form and submit it within 30 days of the marriage, to the Anand Karaj Registrar for registration of the marriage. The violators of the bill will be punished and fined. Following the dissolution of marriage, both parties will have the right to file an application in court for an "order for maintenance payment[s] and/or a lump sum payment for themselves or for a dependent child of the marriage.

In March 2017, Pakistan passed the Hindu marriage bill which was the first personal law at the federal level to regulate the marriages of Hindus in order to safeguard the rights and interests of the minority community in the country.

It is hard to change the political, economic and social system in any country but no country can ever flourish without giving due rights to its minorities and make them use their complete potential and play their part towards the betterment of country. With such laws, we not only can make the minorities feel better but also project a positive image to the whole world.