All Minorities In New Pakistan Living With Full Independence: Ijaz Alam Augustine

The Human Rights department with collaboration of CSJ organized a seminar regarding Christian Marriage & Divorce Act 2019 in a local hotel, on Thursday

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Sep, 2019 ) :The Human Rights department with collaboration of CSJ organized a seminar regarding Christian Marriage & Divorce Act 2019 in a local hotel, on Thursday.

The seminar was attended by Provincial Minister HR&MA Ijaz Alam Augustine, representatives of human rights district committees from all over the province, Dr. Majeed Abel, Bishop Irfan Jamil, Bishop Daniel Ibrahim, Prof. Dr. Yaqoob Khan and Peter Jacob.

Peter Jacob briefed about draft, saying that the former law, which was placed since the time of Ziaul Haq had many flaws, so there was dire need to make amendments.

He told that in the previous law, registration of marriages from union council or NADRA was not mentioned and marriage age of a girl was 14, while the new law would be beneficial for Pastors and especially women.

DD HR M. Yousaf also briefed about progress of the department during the past one year, saying that the department gave scholarship to minority students twice in a year, implemented minority empowerment package, ensured admission of students in major universities, distributed Christmas grant, ensured implementation of 05% educational quota.

He said that the development budget had increased to Rs 1000 million from Rs 500 million, scholarship fund also enhanced from Rs 25 million to Rs 50 million and for the promotion of tourism 02 Churches in Lahore and 01 in Sadiqabad were selected whereas area of Yuhanabad and Warisabad in Faisalabad would become as model cities.

Addressing the seminar, Provincial Minister Ijaz Alam Augustine said that after 150 years, in the tenure of PTI, a bill was being introduced to ensure equal rights but some people were trying to politicize it and oppose the bill.

He said that it had been decided that bill would be translated in urdu and distributed among all stakeholders, so they could easily understand and opponents also understand that the bill had not yet been finalized.

He said that all the minorities in the new Pakistan were living with full independence and the government was utilizing all its resources to ensure protection of human rights.

He said that the revised draft catered to the technological needs of the 21st century as well as the interests of all religious denomination with special regard to the individual's fundamental right to religious freedom.

A documentary regarding minority's rights and need of amendments in the bill was also part of the seminar.