Daily Times

For Suneel, a Christian resident of Gujranwala, the process of registering his children’s marriages turned into an unnecessarily costly and frustrating ordeal. Faced with a lack of clear instructions and guidance from the relevant authorities, he had no choice but to turn to an agent who charged him ten thousand Pakistani rupees-an amount far exceeding the official cost. Despite paying the hefty fee, the process remained slow and cumbersome which takes two months to complete.

Religious minorities across Pakistan face difficulties in accessing their fundamental right to civil registration. Many are compelled to pay agents exorbitant fees, often several times the actual cost due to a lack of awareness and bureaucratic inefficiencies. For most minorities, marriage registration is not just about legalizing their union but also a prerequisite for obtaining crucial documents such as identity cards, family registration certificates, and birth certificates for their children.

In Punjab, some union councils lack basic knowledge of the registration process for minorities, which often leads to unnecessary delays or outright refusal to register marriages. As a result, families are forced to travel long distances or resort to intermediaries.

Efforts have been made to improve marriage registration for religious minorities. In Punjab, laws such as the Christian Marriage Act of 1872, the Divorce Act of 1869, and the Hindu Marriage Act of 2017 provide a legal framework for registering marriages. However, implementation is inconsistent, and the processes remain unclear at the local government level.

The Christian community has repeatedly called for marriage registration at the union council level to simplify the process and reduce reliance on agents. In January 2019, the Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a directive requiring union councils to ensure marriage registration for Christians and issue certificates. Despite this order, many union councils remain ill-equipped to handle these requests.

Under the Christian Marriage Act of 1872, pastors and bishops can obtain a Christian Marriage License from the Department of Human Rights and Minority Affairs. To apply for this license, people must submit a copy of their computerized national identity card, proof of matriculation, a police clearance report, a recommendation letter from their church, a community memorandum signed by two hundred local residents, and three passport-sized photographs. The license is valid for five years and must be renewed periodically.

The marriage registration process for Christians involves applying at a registered church. Announcements are made in three churches prior to the wedding ceremony. After the ceremony, the officiating pastor or bishop records the marriage in an official register and provides a slip to the couple. This slip is then submitted to the union council to obtain a computerized marriage registration certificate. The certificate costs three hundred Pakistani rupees and is crucial for updating records with the National Database and Registration Authority.

Similar challenges exist for the Sikh and Hindu communities. Untill today Sikh marriages were registered with the National Database and Registration Authority based on certificates issued by gurdwaras. These certificates bypassed the union councils, but new regulations now require union council involvement.

For the Hindu community, the Hindu Marriage Act of 2017 remains underutilized. Many Hindu priests still issue marriage certificates on their letterheads, which are submitted to union councils for computerized marriage registration. However, a lack of awareness among union councils and within the Hindu community itself often complicates the process.

Amarnath Randhawa, a member of the Pakistan Hindu Temple Management Committee while Speaking to Daily Times highlighted the delays in approving the rules of business for Hindu marriage registration. He believes that raising awareness among families and involving religious leaders can help bridge the gaps in the system.

“Religious minorities, like the majority population, are entitled to local government services, including marriage registration at the union council level. The lack of streamlined processes not only hampers access to our egal rights but also forces families to undertake unnecessary expenses and travel long distances”, he commented.

The inefficiencies in the system also raise questions about the National Database and Registration Authority’s vast database. Despite being the repository of Pakistan’s civil data, the authority lacks adequate support for the registration of minority marriages, leaving families vulnerable to exploitation.

Ramesh Singh Arora, Punjab’s Minister for Minority Affairs, acknowledges these challenges. He states that work on reforming Christian marriage laws is underway, with input from all stakeholders.

“We hope to finalize these reforms by December 2024 and implement them after cabinet approval”, he added.

Similarly, Minister confirms that the rules of business for the Hindu Marriage Act are in progress and will soon be presented to the cabinet. Translation of the registration processes into local languages is also being considered to ensure accessibility for all communities.

The approval and implementation of these reforms are expected to address systemic issues, including the alarming rise in forced conversions. However, for people like Suneel and countless others, the need for an efficient and inclusive system remains urgent. Until then, religious minorities in Pakistan will continue to struggle for their basic rights in the face of bureaucratic indifference and systemic inefficiencies.