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LAHORE: A proposed law to replace the 154-year-old Christian Marriage Act of 1872 and set 18 years as the minimum age for marriage, for both men and women, came under detailed review at a meeting of the Parliamentary Minority Caucus held at the Punjab Assembly here on Thursday.
The meeting, presided over by the caucus convener, MPA Falbous Christopher, deliberated on the proposed Punjab Christian Marriage Bill 2026, which aims to modernise and strengthen the legal framework governing Christian marriages in Punjab.
The session was attended by minority members of the Punjab Assembly, including Emmanuel Ather, Shakeela Javed, Waseem Anjum, Maria Talal and Basroo Jee, along with Punjab Chief Coordinator for Minorities Affairs Raheela Khadim Hussain, Chief Whip Rana Muhammad Arshad, Awais Dreshak, Attiya Iftikhar, Qudsia Batool, Samreen Taj and Advisor to the Punjab Assembly speaker, Usama Khawar Ghumman.
Prominent church leaders and representatives of various Christian denominations also participated in the discussions, including Archbishop Dr Azad Marshall, Archbishop Khalid Rehmat OFM Cap, Fr James Channan, Bishop Abraham Azeem Daniel, Samuel Payara, Romana Bashir, Rev Azhar Mushtaq and Katherine Sapna, alongside legal experts and community representatives.
Proposed law aims to modernise legal framework governing Christian marriages
Christopher appreciated the active involvement of church leaders and community stakeholders in the legislative process. Members conducted a clause-by-clause review of the proposed legislation and offered recommendations to ensure it effectively addresses the needs and concerns of the Christian community.
Presenting the bill, Ghumman outlined the vision of Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan for advancing minority rights through inclusive and consultative legislation.
He said the proposed law seeks to replace the outdated Christian Marriage Act of 1872 with a modern framework that safeguards the rights of Christian citizens, strengthens protections for free consent, introduces transparent procedures for marriage solemnisation and registration, and improves official record-keeping and legal certainty.
Participants reached a consensus on several key matters and stressed the importance of aligning the legislation with the views of the Christian community, registered churches and government policy. The caucus welcomed the objectives of the bill and invited stakeholders to submit further recommendations in writing for consideration during the legislative process.
The participants also appreciated the Punjab Assembly speaker’s efforts in promoting minority rights and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that all constructive suggestions from church leaders, legal experts and community representatives are carefully examined before the bill is finalised.
Concluding the meeting, Raheela Khadim Hussain thanked the participants for their contributions and reiterated her commitment to the protection and advancement of minority rights across Punjab.
Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2026
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