Marriages without blood screening should be banned: S M Munir

Leader of business community and President Indo-Pak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IPCCI), S.M.Munir has emphasised the need of promulgation law banning marriages without blood screening to prevent thalassemia spreading in the country.
Speaking at a presentation organised by Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) and of Patients Welfare Association (PWA) on thalassemia, he said thalassemia spreading in the country like wild fire due to marriages without test and marriages among cousins.
He suggested that a clause be added in the Nikkha Nama (Marriage form) to produce blood screening report before Nikkha. In case Nikkha is conducted without seeing the report the Nikkha Khua should be sent to jail as punishment for at lest 10 years. Munir informed that the law regarding marriage without blood screening was presented in the National Assembly about ten years back for promulgation which had been referred to the NA Standing Committee for review.
He said that it was unfortunate that even after a period of ten years the law is yet to be passed by the NA and it let the nation to suffer. Muneer said that whenever government wants any law in its favour it never delays it while people of Pakistan have left to suffer. He said that as many as 100,000 children are being born with the disease of Thalassemia due to the government's negligence. Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan advised business community to help him to prepare as bill to control speeding thalassemia in the country. The bill will be presented in Senate for its approval, he added He said that it is matter of concern that out of all babies born in the country around 25 percent of them with thalassemia.
He suggested three years imprisonment for Nikkha Khua who conducted marriage proceedings without seeing and attaching blood screening report with marriage form. Chairman KATI, Ehteshamuddin said that preventive measures are better than treatment and people should opt for preventive measures.
He said that Pakistan's 60 per cent population is of the age of younger than 24 years and we should not be disappointed with our future. He said that it was a good omen that PWA which is working since 1979 has included traders and industrialists in its welfare efforts.
Member Board of Governor PWA, Dr Abdul Bari said that PWA is facing shortage of funds for at least Rs 14 million annually due to the increased expenditures. He said PWA providing thalassemia treatment without and fee or any charge President PWA, Dr Kamran Bakhshi informed that PWA is providing blood services to the poor free of charges and its blood is acceptable to all hospitals including Aga Khan University.