AMN /
A province in Pakistan has become the first in the largely Muslim country to give Hindu’s the right to register their marriage. The bill was passed today by lawmakers in Sindh, home to many of Pakistan’s three million Hindus.
Hindus have long called for such a law, citing logistical problems as well as forced conversions, underage marriage, and a lack of rights for widows. The country’s national assembly is also considering a similar law.
Unlike Christians, Pakistan’s other main religious minority who have a colonial-era law recognising their marriages, Hindus have never had any legal framework to register their unions. Under the bill, Hindus above the age of 18 in Sindh can register their marriages.
It can be applied retroactively to existing unions. But it also contains a controversial clause that allows the marriage to be annulled if any spouse converts.