Karachi (AsiaNews) – The Sindh Assembly has taken a significant step towards reforming Christian family laws in the province with the introduction of the Christian Family Laws Bill, 2026, aimed at replacing colonial-era legislation with a comprehensive provincial framework governing Christian marriages and matrimonial matters.
Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Anthony Naveed submitted the bill to the provincial legislature, describing it as an important move towards protecting the rights of Christian families, particularly women and children.
The proposed legislation comes 154 years after the enactment of the Christian Marriage Act, 1872, while the Divorce Act, 1869 has also continued to form part of the legal framework governing Christian matrimonial matters in Pakistan.
The bill was prepared following consultations with Christian religious leaders and representatives of major Churches and denominations. The Minority Caucus Subcommittee, comprising Anthony Naveed, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Dr. Sham Sunder Advani, and MPA Mahesh Kumar Hasija, held detailed discussions on proposed reforms before the legislation was submitted.
The consultation process included representatives and leaders of the Catholic Church, Church of Pakistan, Associated Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) Church, Salvation Army, and mainstream Pentecostal churches.
The discussions sought to reflect the diversity of Christian traditions while addressing practical legal problems faced by Christian families.
Under the proposed law, the minimum age for marriage would be 18 years for both Christian men and women. A valid marriage would also require the free and voluntary consent of both parties.
The bill proposes a unified legal procedure for the solemnisation and registration of Christian marriages and introduces provisions dealing with a range of family matters. These include dissolution of marriage, judicial separation, maintenance and alimony, protection of property, remarriage, and the custody, maintenance and education of minor children.
It also sets out grounds on which a Christian marriage could be dissolved. These include adultery, contracting another marriage, cruelty, rape or violence and desertion for more than two years, along with other grounds specified in the proposed legislation.
One of the bill's stated objectives is to reduce lengthy litigation in family disputes. It proposes that petitions filed under the new law should, where possible, be disposed of by the courts within six months. The proposed legislation also seeks to provide greater legal certainty while safeguarding the dignity and rights of Christian families.
Particular emphasis has been placed on protecting women and children and ensuring equality, due process and non-discrimination while respecting the religious beliefs, traditions and practices of the Christian community.
If enacted, the bill would repeal the Christian Marriage Act, 1872 and the Divorce Act, 1869 to the extent that they apply in Sindh, replacing the existing framework with a consolidated provincial law.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons says the legislation is intended to safeguard family rights in accordance with principles of equality, dignity, due process and non-discrimination while respecting the religious traditions of Christians.
Anthony Naveed, who is both the mover and member In-charge of the bill, expressed hope that it would receive support across the political divide.
He said that his party had consistently emphasised the protection of minority rights under the leadership of Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and expressed hope that the Sindh Assembly would pass the legislation unanimously with the support of lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.
The bill now enters the legislative process, where its provisions will be examined before any final enactment.
For Christians in Sindh, the proposed reform could mark a major change in the way marriage and family disputes are legally regulated, bringing the provincial framework more closely in line with contemporary principles of family rights and legal protection.
