LAHORE (HRNW)- A bill proposing fundamental changes to the Christian Marriage Act after 153 years has been prepared and submitted by the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Minority Affairs, Phielbus Christopher. The proposed legislation introduces significant structural shifts, most notably making it mandatory for both the bride and groom to be Christian for a legal marriage. Under the existing 1872 law, a marriage could be solemnized if at least one of the parties was Christian.
The bill also addresses the legal age of marriage, suggesting a minimum age of 18 years for both boys and girls. This is a substantial increase from the previous legal requirements, which set the age at 16 for boys and 13 for girls. Furthermore, the new amendments propose the mandatory registration of Christian marriages with Union Councils and NADRA, while authorizing only registered churches to perform marriage ceremonies according to Christian rites.
Additionally, the bill seeks to remove outdated colonial-era restrictions regarding the timing and days of wedding ceremonies. Currently, the law prohibits marriage ceremonies from being conducted after 6:00 PM; the new bill proposes the removal of this time limit to provide the Christian community greater flexibility in organizing their religious events. These reforms aim to modernize family laws for the Christian community and ensure better legal documentation of marriages.
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