Women belonging to scheduled caste Hindus from Southern Punjab on Sunday held a protest demonstration in front of the Multan Press Club demanding for proper legislation for their marriage registration.
Families of scheduled caste Hiunds living in different parts of Pakistan said they were facing many domestic, social and psychological problems especially women, as no law existed in Pakistan for the registration of their marriages.
The protestors demanded of the government that Hindu Marriage Registration Bill should be passed by the Parliament as early as possible. They also said that all forms of discrimination and segregation with the Hindus community should be abolished through proper legislation as well. They held the protest demonstration under the banner Scheduled Caste Rights Movement (SCRM).
Women protestors criticised the Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti for not paying heed to the long demand of Hindu community despite assurances. They said that the Minister had assured the National Assembly in February 2010 that the government would pass Hindu Marriage Registration Bill within three months but no progress was made despite the passage of more than 10 months. Non-registration of marriages of Hindu community in Pakistan has resulted into many problems, as Hindu couples even could not get their CNICs after marriage, as they do not have any proof of their marriages.
The women protestors shared their various personal experiences, problems and miseries due to not having proof of their marriages. They said that other minorities like Christians living in Pakistan had their respective by-laws and procedure to register their marriages but 4.5 millions of Pakistani Hindus in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, the biggest minority of Pakistan with reference to population, had been deprived of their basic right of registration of marriage.
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