Punjab minority caucus reviews bill to replace Christian marriage law

LAHORE: A proposed Punjab law seeking to replace the 154-year-old Christian Marriage Act of 1872 and set 18 as the minimum marriage age for both men and women was reviewed in detail at a meeting of the Parliamentary Minority Caucus at the Punjab Assembly on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by caucus convener MPA Falbous Christopher and focused on the proposed Punjab Christian Marriage Bill 2026, which is intended to update and strengthen the legal structure governing Christian marriages in the province. Minority members of the Punjab Assembly attended the session, including Emmanuel Ather, Shakeela Javed, Waseem Anjum, Maria Talal and Basroo Jee. Punjab Chief Coordinator for Minorities Affairs Raheela Khadim Hussain, Chief Whip Rana Muhammad Arshad, Awais Dreshak, Attiya Iftikhar, Qudsia Batool, Samreen Taj and adviser to the Punjab Assembly speaker Usama Khawar Ghumman were also present.

Church leaders and representatives of different Christian denominations also took part in the discussion. Those present included 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, along with legal experts and community representatives.

Clause-by-clause review

During the meeting, participants carried out a clause-by-clause examination of the draft legislation and gave recommendations aimed at ensuring that it responds effectively to the concerns and requirements of the Christian community. Christopher welcomed the participation of church leaders and community stakeholders in the legislative process.

While presenting the bill, Ghumman set out Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan’s stated approach to promoting minority rights through an inclusive and consultative lawmaking process. He said the proposed legislation is meant to replace the old Christian Marriage Act of 1872 with an updated framework designed to protect the rights of Christian citizens, reinforce safeguards for free consent, establish clear procedures for marriage solemnisation and registration, and improve official documentation and legal clarity.

Consensus on key matters

According to the discussion at the meeting, participants agreed on several major points and emphasised that the proposed legislation should reflect the views of the Christian community, registered churches and government policy. The caucus endorsed the objectives of the bill and asked stakeholders to submit additional written recommendations for consideration as the legislative process moves forward.

Participants also appreciated the Punjab Assembly speaker’s role in advancing minority rights and reaffirmed their commitment to examining all constructive input from church leaders, legal experts and community representatives before the bill is finalised. At the conclusion of the meeting, Raheela Khadim Hussain thanked attendees for their participation and repeated her commitment to the protection and promotion of minority rights across Punjab.