Islamabad, 8th February, 2016: The Standing Committee on Law and Justice met today at 11:00 a.m in Committee Room No. 7, Parliament House, Islamabad under the Chairmanship of Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk, MNA to consider the following agenda:-

i)          To consider “The Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015” (Government Bill).
ii)         To consider “The Hindu Marriage Bill, 2014” (moved by Mr. Ramesh Lal, MNA).
iii)        To consider “The Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2014” {Amendments of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 11 & Schedule, Act IV of 2010} (moved by Ms. Asiya Nasir, MNA).  
iv)        To consider “The constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2014” {Amendments of Article 51 & 106} (moved by Ms. Asiya Nasir, MNA).
v)         Confirmation of minutes of previous meetings held on 28-12-2015 and 27-01-2016.
vi)        Any other item with permission of the Chair.
2. The Ministry of Law and Justice as well as Ministry of Human Rights briefed that the objects of Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015 is to codify the law for regulating the marriages and termination thereof among Hindus family and the matter ancillary and incidental thereto. The Provision of the said Act has also been applied to irretrievable break down of Marriages in Hindus. As such, this Act is applicable to all citizen of Pakistan who is Hindu by religion in any of its form. Thereafter, the Standing Committee on Law and Justice decided to consider the Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015, a Government Bill clause by clause. The Committee recommended that sub-clause (2) of clause 1 of the Hindu Marriage Bill, 2015 will be extended to whole of Pakistan instead of Provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Similarly, the Committee unanimously recommended that from clause 2 to 25 of the Bill under reference be passed with certain amendments therein. The Members from the Hindu community i.e. Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, MNA, Dr. Darshan, MNA and Lal Chand Malhi, MNA were also present in the meeting on special invitation to assist the Committee in passage of the Bill.
3. MNAs Mr. Mohsin Shah Nawaz Ranjha, Mr. Muhammad Moeen Wattoo, Ms. Kiran Haider, Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sherazi, Mr. Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar, Ms. Asiya Naz Tanoli, Ms. Shagufta Jumani, Eng. Ali Muhammad Khan Advocate, Moulana Muhammad Khan Sherani and Ms. Aisha attended the meeting in which Special Invitees Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, MNA, Dr. Darshan, MNA and Lal Chand Malhi, MNA were also present in the meeting.